New York Injury Lawyer Blog

City officials are moving forward with a plan to keep Broadway permanently closed to traffic in Herald Square and Times Square. The announcement will leave in place the pedestrian plazas created last year to improve traffic flow and reduce New York City pedestrian accidents and other traffic accidents.

"After an exhaustive review that showed positive results in all aspects, and overwhelming improvement in many areas, we've decided to make this groundbreaking pilot project permanent," said Mayor Bloomberg.

While the eight-month closure had caused headaches for some drivers, the closure has received positive reviews from tourists and pedestrians, the New York Post reported.

The city's Department of Transportation reported "greatly enhanced safety" and a reduction in the risk of car accidents at two of the city's most accident-prone intersections. However, an increased risk of New York City taxi cab accidents is possible, after the city found taxi speeds have increased 7 percent in Midtown since the closures.

GPS data from 1.1 million taxi cab trips found a 7 percent increase in overall speeds, including a 17 percent increase in northbound travel speeds.

But safety at Times Square and Herald Square improved dramatically, according to city figures. The closures resulted in a 63 percent reduction in New York City car accidents at both locations and a 35 percent reduction in pedestrian injuries.

A survey found that three-quarters of New Yorkers favored making the closures permanent, while about 7 in 10 retail managers also favored the move.

"Surveys indicate clear support among New Yorkers and local businesses for the project, and the increased foot traffic has been good for business," Bloomberg said. "The bottom line is overall traffic in Midtown has improved and New Yorkers and city businesses are benefiting from a Times and Herald Square that are safer, more exciting destinations."