Fewer Pedestrian Plazas Have Been Built in the Communities Where the Most Black, Latino, and Asian New Yorkers Live. Increasing Plaza Construction is the Answer.
Although more than half of New Yorkers do not own a car, 75% of New York City’s streets are devoted to storing and moving vehicles. Converting this car space into space for people improves safety, mobility, and accessibility, reduces noise pollution and air pollution, and creates space for social activity and recreation. After Times Square was pedestrianized, injuries dropped 63%, air quality improved, pedestrian volumes increased 11%, and local satisfaction jumped 72%. With a new Office of the Public Realm, the City of New York has the potential to bring these benefits to all New Yorkers, however, the following findings make clear that to date, the benefits of pedestrian plaza access have been very unequally distributed.
Spatial Equity Findings on Pedestrian Plaza Access* Analyzed By City Council District
Pedestrian plaza access is profoundly unequal. More New Yorkers live within walking distance of a pedestrian plaza in Council District 1 than the total number of New Yorkers who live within walking distance of a pedestrian plaza in 26 other Council districts combined.
Communities with the largest population of Black, Latino, and Asian New Yorkers have significantly less access to plazas. Council districts where a majority of residents are Black have 40% fewer residents living within walking distance of a pedestrian plaza, and Council districts where a majority of residents are nonwhite have 37% fewer residents living within walking distance of a pedestrian plaza — as compared to the average City Council district.
Some New Yorkers are left entirely without plaza access. In 10 New York City Council districts, zero residents live within walking distance — one-half mile — of a pedestrian plaza. These districts also have significant potential to benefit from plaza access, due to other spatial inequities, as these 10 districts also have on average: 34% fewer benches per capita, 20% fewer residents in walking distance to a park, 50% fewer bike parking spaces, a 17% higher likelihood of living in a floodplain, an 8% higher traffic fatality rate, and both higher summertime temperatures and less sidewalk space — as compared to the average New York City Council district.
Recommendations
Build pedestrian plazas in the communities with the least access by transforming dangerous slip lanes (a street design element that allow drivers to turn without slowing down) and by converting the 100 parking spots closest to subway station entrances into a plaza, as 98% of New Yorkers arrive at the subway on foot.
Extend the Streets Plan annual requirement for pedestrian space, to include the addition of one million square feet of plazas per year. Currently, the pedestrian space requirement sunset at the end of 2023, and must be renewed and expanded.
*percent of residents within walking distance (½ mile) of a pedestrian plaza
