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Transportation & Environment
Proposal by Department of Transportation for installation of pedestrian enhancements around Central Park South and Grand Army Plaza
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, July 09, 2020, the following resolution passed with a vote of 43 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:
WHEREAS, February 2019 rule changes relocated horse-drawn carriage hack stands from Central Park South and Grand Army Plaza to locations inside Central Park, creating currently-unutilized space in both areas; and
WHEREAS, The New York City Department of Transportation ("DOT") installed signage and temporary markings to relocate the hack stands, with no permanent materials or paint used in pedestrian spaces, and has been monitoring the operations of the hack stands and receiving feedback from the carriage operators, Parks Department, and Central Park Conservancy; and
WHEREAS, DOT now intends to finalize the new operations and make permanent the removal of the hack stands from Central Park South and Grand Army Plaza, with associated pedestrian improvements to take full advantage of the freed space for improved pedestrian safety and access; and
WHEREAS, The project area, the majority of which lies within the district of Community Board Five, is a tourist and shopping destination at the southeast corner of Central Park and includes high-end retail stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Apple, the Plaza Hotel, and the landmark Grand Army Plaza of Manhattan; and
WHEREAS, The southeast corner of Central Park is a high-crash location, with five persons killed or severely injured by accidents from 2013 to 2017, and where two pedestrians were struck and severely injured in 2014 by vehicles on 59th Street between 5th Avenue and Grand Army Plaza in two separate incidents; and
WHEREAS, Existing conditions in the northern block of Grand Army Plaza consist of a one-way way eastbound block on 59th Street heading away from the plaza east of 5th Avenue, a 66-foot-wide two-way block west of 5th Avenue through the center of the plaza to Grand Army Plaza, a redundant right-hand turn from 5th Avenue onto 59th Street westbound duplicating a turn onto 59th Street westbound around the plaza that cars may make one block earlier, and new unutilized space on the north curb of 59th Street where the hack stands were removed; and
WHEREAS, Existing conditions on the southern block of Grand Army Plaza consist of a Citibike station across from the Plaza Hotel that constricts pedestrian movement, a missing crosswalk across 58th Street to the plaza from the south, and underutilized “No Standing Anytime” space on the north curb of 58th Street between Grand Army Plaza and 5th Avenue; and
WHEREAS, DOT proposes, adjacent to the northern block of Grand Army Plaza, to convert 59th Street from 5th Avenue to Grand Army Plaza to a one-way eastbound block, to install a 24-foot-wide curb extension on the north curb of 59th Street which will reduce the width of 59th Street to 44-feet, and to widen the horse-only lane on the north curb of Central Park South to 11 feet and add flexible posts to prevent vehicles from blocking the lane; and
WHEREAS, DOT proposes, adjacent to the southern block of Grand Army Plaza, to expand the pedestrian space around the Citibike station via curb extension, to install the missing crosswalk on the east side of the intersection of Grand Army Plaza and 58th Street, to install curb extensions on south corners of the 5th Avenue/Central Park South intersection, and to install a full sidewalk extension on the north curb of 58th Street between 5th Avenue and Grand Army Plaza, with Central Park Conservancy as a partner maintaining these pedestrian spaces; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five finds that expanded pedestrian space and shorter, more clearly-delineated pedestrian crossings in a high volume tourist destination will serve to significantly calm traffic and provide greater safety for pedestrians, while not significantly impeding the access of traffic to important corridors; and
WHEREAS, CB5 made several suggestions for monitoring the effects of the change that were accepted by the DOT (including exploring light timing synchronization and examining the network effects of these changes on nearby traffic flow and intersections); and
WHEREAS, Grand Army Plaza is a landmark and these pedestrian and curbside improvements should be presented to the Community Board Five’s Landmarks Committee as well, to solicit their recommendations on the installation including materials, historic fabric, and contextuality; and
WHEREAS, DOT has indicated their intention to present and consult with the Plaza Hotel on plans that are inherently adjacent to the property; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the Department of Transportation's proposal for installation of pedestrian enhancements around Central Park South and Grand Army Plaza.