City Extends Express Lane
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In an effort to cut back on the traffic gridlock that accompanies the holiday shopping and tourist bonanza, the city is extending one of the Midtown express lanes it established last week.
On November 29, the city installed plastic barriers on sections of Fifth and Sixth avenues near Rockefeller Center, creating express lanes in the center of the roadways that prevented cars from changing lanes and turning.
Starting today at 7:30 a.m., the NYPD is extending the Sixth Avenue lane five blocks south; it will now run between 43rd and 53rd streets.
A Police Department spokesman, Paul Browne, said yesterday the extension had been prompted by improvements in traffic flow in the last week due to the express lanes.
“A lot of what you have is holiday shoppers or individuals stopping to look at the tree at Rockefeller Center. That can be accommodated by the lanes on sides,” Mr. Browne said. “But at the same time, if you have someone getting in a cab below 42nd Street who wants to go into the 70s you have the center. The express lanes accommodate the taxis and passenger vehicles and commercial traffic.”
When asked whether there was confusion about the new rules among drivers, he said: “There is always an initial learning curve as people adapt to something new, but the drivers, particularly the regular drivers, are learning quickly the advantages.”
And what about drivers getting stuck in the middle lanes who suddenly find themselves swept 10 blocks out of their way because there is no place to turn off?
Both Mr. Browne and another NYPD official said the lanes are clearly marked and that signs were erected to designate the lanes. Drivers observed in the area between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. didn’t appear to have much trouble complying, though some were seen weaving between barriers to switch lanes.
The Police Department said yesterday that a tally of the tickets issued for such violations was not available. It reported that there have been five accidents since the express lane was created on Sixth Avenue, but said it did not have numbers for Fifth Avenue or comparison figures from last year.
The new traffic regulations on Fifth and Sixth avenues, which are in effect between 7:30 a.m. and 9:15 p.m. through at least January 2, have been met with mixed reviews.
Some community organizations said they were upset the police did not consult them ahead of time but pleased with the outcome.
“My first impression is that it’s an improvement,” Tom Cusick, president of the Fifth Avenue Association, a business improvement district, said.
The express lanes, he said, have helped smooth out what is usually a traffic snarl in the Rockefeller Center area. “It really does two things. It provides for the so-called express activity. But it also prohibits cars from switching lanes and prevents the lane structure breakdowns.”
The president of the Times Square Alliance, another business improvement district, agreed. He said he did not see a problem with the city testing the idea during one of the busiest weeks of the year.
“It’s so bad in December that we might as well try a ‘Hail Mary’ and see if it works,” said Timothy Thompkins, whose group represents 500 property owners and about 5,000 businesses.
Mr. Browne said it “wouldn’t be valid” to test the idea at a less congested time “because you would be dealing with much less volume.”
A limousine driver waiting outside the McGraw-Hill building on Sixth Avenue yesterday said he didn’t see much of a difference in traffic flow. He also said it was difficult to get out of a lane after committing to one.
“People are still switching once they get past the cops,” Frank DeMasi said. “What’s the cop going to do – chase the guy down?”
Others said they were glad to see the city addressing traffic, but that the pedestrian congestion in that area is a more pressing problem.
“The most congested areas of Midtown Manhattan – especially during the holiday season – are the sidewalks,” said Kit Hodge, of Transportation Alternatives, a pedestrian and cycling advocacy group.
“People want to walk around from store to store in Midtown, so let’s provide conditions that encourage, not discourage, foot traffic,” she said.