The crossroads of North America is about to become a lot more pedestrian-friendly. New York City's Times Square is reportedly getting a makeover to make it car-free. According to an Associated Press report, portions of Broadway from 42nd Street up to 47th and from 33rd to 35th are being closed to cars to cut down on pollution, traffic and pedestrian accidents.

To kick off the new arrangement, NYC has planned something of a block party in the Square, where they'll play a movie on a giant screen and street performers will entertain the crowds. They're even going to set out beach chairs so folks can cop a squat and soak it all in.

Barriers started going up on Sunday around Times Square and the nearby Herald Square in front of Macy's. Herald Square is the other area that will become a pedestrian mall as a result of the changes. To make sure everything goes smoothly, the Department of Transportation says it will be keeping a close eye on traffic in the area as the new setup ramps up.

 

wow that's interesting.....I should visit, haven't been to New York in many years

 

Might be a nice change, but it still won't change the smell.

 

Not knowing the "in's and out's" of NYC, this sounds like a good idea, but will it not simply make other area's more congested?

 

Wow, what a big surprise! Had this been discussed as part of an open forum in NY before or was this decision just made all of a sudden? I'm in favor of the idea, personally, but Nick Cage is going to be pissed off that he can't crash any more cars through store fronts like he did last month when filming his next movie.

 

I'm sure that probably had something to do with the decision.

 

Sounds like a good idea to me as long as it doesn't affect traffic too much

 

this has been floated around for months if not years... I've seen pics of what its going to look like someplace... outdoor dining, street performers, grass and trees.

Could be cool but I'll miss something about times square being so hectic with taxis honking and such.... not sure how I feel about it.

 

The rats are gonna LOVE it!

 

I am and am not a fan of the idea. A pedestrian Times Square, similar to Lincoln Road would be cool. Traffic however is going to suck! I wonder how they are going to reroute traffic? Time will tell if it's a good idea or not.