Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Manhattan

Port Authority Decides Church and Vesey Doesn’t Need Safety Specialists

Church and Vesey is one of the most crowded and busy intersections in the city. With about 15,000 people walking across Church during peak weekday hours, the foot traffic is heavier there than anywhere in Times Square. A recent decision by the Port Authority could jeopardize those pedestrians starting this Friday.

ped_managers.jpgIt ain't pretty, but it works. Certified ped managers at the corner of Vesey and Church, which sees huge volumes of pedestrian traffic. Photo: Broadsheet Daily/Teresa Loeb Kreuzer

In a vote two weeks ago, the board opted to skimp on safety by hiring security firm Allied Barton to manage pedestrian movement at Church and Vesey. Security personnel with no formal training in pedestrian management will be replacing workers certified by the American Traffic Safety Services Association who've successfully kept people safe as construction near the World Trade Center site increases the potential for conflicts.

"With traffic down there only slated to increase with more intense construction, pedestrians will be put at unacceptable risk without certified ped managers there to stop traffic and shepherd folks," said Transportation Alternatives director Paul Steely White.

Currently, pedestrian managers with Sam Schwartz Engineering handle
the intersection, using yellow chains to stop people from crossing against the light. While this isn't the type of traffic
control that we tend to get excited about here at Streetsblog, the
fact is that the pedestrian managers have a proven safety record. Since they started in 2008, 60 million people have crossed without incident, according to Schwartz.

Certified pedestrian managers receive training in how to handle different signal phases, coordinate movements of traffic and pedestrians, and deal with pedestrian behavior, Schwartz said. When the Battery Park City Authority was looking to staff intersections with crossing guards earlier this year, Schwartz said, they chose his firm because it offered the lowest qualified bid, with crossing guards all professionally certified. The Port Authority simply went with the lowest bidder, Allied Barton.

The Port Authority has not returned requests for comment on this story.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

City Council Vows To Override Mayor’s ‘Senseless’ Vetoes

Speaker Adrienne Adams vows to override the mayor's recent vetoes of two bills that would expand labor protections and minimum wage to grocery delivery workers using Instacart.

August 14, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Veto Oh No Edition

Mayor Adams has gone so far to the right in his quest to retain his office that he's not even listening to his own damn self. Plus other news.

August 14, 2025

Greenway Master Plan Shows the Way … For The Next Mayor

There's a master plan, now all we need is someone to do it!

August 14, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: Ostrich Parent Edition

Bradley Tusk and Randy Mastro team up to distract people from the much-harder effort of making streets safe. Plus other news.

August 13, 2025

As Mayor Adams Preps Veto of Minimum Wage Bill, Instacart Boasts ‘Squeezing’ Its Workers

Instacart's months-long campaign against pay parity for grocery delivery workers appears to have borne fruit with a mayor who claims he supports workers.

August 12, 2025

UPDATE: Speeding Senior Driver Kills Self and Two Pedestrians in Astoria, Pols Call for 20 MPH Limit

The Queens crash is another reminder that speed kills — and that the city has the power to lower its speed limit.

August 12, 2025
See all posts