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Regarded by some as “The Gateway to the Upper West Side” because of its proximity to subway stations and businesses on both sides of the wide strip, West 72nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues will soon be getting a new crosswalk and streetlight.
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City Councilmember Gale Brewer made the announcement of the incoming safety measures on Friday, September 12. “This will help calm traffic and facilitate safer crossing for pedestrians,” wrote Brewer, who shared a PDF of her advocacy for the installation of a crosswalk with a streetlight in an April letter to Ydanis Rodriguez, the New York City Department of Transportation commissioner. “Residents and businesses agree that pedestrians regularly jaywalking in the middle of West 72nd is an untenable and dangerous situation for pedestrians and drivers alike,” she wrote.Anna Correa, a DOT spokesperson, shared this statement with ILTUWS:
“72nd Street between Broadway/Amsterdam and Columbus Avenue in Manhattan is a popular destination, though its long blocks mean visitors often walk far distances to cross the street safely. This new mid-block crossing will make access significantly easier while improving safety for both pedestrians and drivers.”
The installation of the crosswalk with mid-block streetlight is expected to start next week and continue into the fall, said a DOT spokesperson, who also noted, “These crossings enhance safety by offering more direct, convenient trips on foot and better managing traffic flow among all road users. They are typically installed along busy commercial corridors with long blocks to reduce the distance pedestrians must walk to a designated crossing.” DOT credited Brewer for requesting the department do a study on the area, which deemed the crossing warranted based on their data.
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Road milling is currently being done on the stretch of 72nd between Columbus and Amsterdam, with paving equipment already parked on the street. And while an exact location was not shared, we do see a chalk outline between 139 and 140 West 72nd Street.
In 2024, DOT installed mid-block crossings with traffic signals on the busy Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn as part of an initiative to enhance pedestrian safety.
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