Parts of Times Square Closed to Automobiles

New Yorkers can now walk through the very heart of Times Square. New York City is banning cars from stretches of Broadway at Times Square and Herald Square. The goal is to reduce pollution and pedestrian accidents and to help traffic flow more smoothly. Officials say the plan will help make the city more livable.

“This is like a sanctuary,” said Yesim Bilgic, 36, a Swedish novelist who was sitting in one of hundreds of lawn chairs set out in the center of Broadway, where vehicular traffic is no longer allowed. She had her laptop open and was trying to find a free Wi-Fi connection. “It is chaos and you have your oasis in the middle of it,” she said. “I love it.”

See photos at ny times, necn, and etoday

Tags: Automobiles, Closed, Parts, Square, Times, of, photos, to

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Comment by PANDA JU on May 31, 2009 at 11:29pm: “It is chaos and you have your oasis in the middle of it,” she said. “I love it.”
... Maybe someone should tell her about Central Park (?)

Comment by kostas sidiropoulos on May 30, 2009 at 8:35am: Wonderful action,all cities must have their Times square area!
Beautiful images.
Regards from Thessaloniki.
kostas

Comment by Eugene on May 30, 2009 at 8:18am: @Liam - I believe it's an experiment that may become permanent if it proves successful.

Comment by Guillermo on May 30, 2009 at 8:13am: But is this change forever? It would be really nice then.

Comment by Mark Huckabee on May 29, 2009 at 3:35pm: My wife was there just a day or two before they did this. I showed her the photos and she couldn't believe the change.

Comment by alice on May 29, 2009 at 3:09pm: Awesome! Thanks for the info. I really hope that free wi-fi is available in that WHOLE area....