Eyes on the Street: Behold the Beauty of a Bare Pedestrian Mall
Here's a shot of the Park Avenue pedestrian mall at 88th Street, taken by reader BicyclesOnly last night. Thanks to sheer luck, it appears as though no one was caught between the car and the light pole.
By
Ben Fried
5:05 PM EST on December 2, 2009
Here’s a shot of the Park Avenue pedestrian mall at 88th Street, taken by reader BicyclesOnly last night. Thanks to sheer luck, it appears as though no one was caught between the car and the light pole.
A few well-placed bollards could reduce the element of chance here. But recall that back in early 2007, Manhattan Community Board 8 deemed physical protection of these ped refuges too unsightly to support. Lately, CB8 has shown more of an open mind toward street safety measures. Maybe it’s time to bring this idea to their attention again.
Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
DOT Launches Delivery Worker Training And Puts Apps On Notice
A mandated safety training for delivery workers in New York City is now live, and the DOT wants the apps to take responsibility for safety.
April 8, 2026
Hochul’s Insurance Push Follows Uber’s National Playbook — As The Company Spends Big on Her Re-Election
Gov. Hochul is raking in cash from Uber as she follows its state-by-state playbook to erode the rights of car crash victims.
April 8, 2026
Upper West Siders Beg DOT For A ‘Low-Traffic Neighborhood’
Manhattan Community Board 7 asked the DOT to explore a pilot program in the district aimed at redirecting outside traffic away from local streets.
April 8, 2026
With Waymo Testing Halted, We Have A Rare Chance To Get Ahead of the ‘Driverless Revolution’
Two experts say we don't have to fear AVs, but we do have to prepare for them so we don't repeat the mistakes of the past.
April 8, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines: You Had One Job Edition
If you build a comfort station, it should have a toilet. Plus other news.
April 8, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.