NYT event listing for Children's Museum, Nov 2003

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

make a variety of adjustments throughout the day to meet the changing needs of the users on the street. Small Variable Message Signs could be used to change parking regulations during the day, retractable bollards could be used to open and close different streets throughout the day; sig­ nal timings could be adjusted to accommodate heavier pedestrian or vehicular volumes, depend­ ing on which is given priority. An effective Street Management Program is a dynamic operation that ■will allow the City to tailor its street network to the unique needs of the surrotinding neigh­ borhoods.

Lower Manhattan Bus Loop To improve circulation within Lower Manhattan for workers, visitors and residents, a shuttle bus route should be established around the Lower Manhattan loop (described above). Such a route would link the different neighborhoods and attractions of Lower Manhattan, reinforcing the sense that Lower Manhattan is a cohesive community. It would be a free, "step-on, step-oflf” shuttle bus service, that could loop down West Street, across the Battery, up Water Street, and back across Fulton to the World Trade Center Site.

According to the Lower Manhattan Bus Loop Implementation study completed by the Department of City Planning in 1994, there is a large market for such a service. The most pop­ ular visitor attractions of Lower Manhattan (the World Trade Center site, the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry and South Street Seaport) are each located more than a 10 minute walk from each other, and there are a large number of commuters whose final destinations are not a convenient walk from the transportation node where they arrive. In addition, residents would benefit from being able to travel more easily between neighborhoods, shopping areas and work­ places.

The Downtown Alliance is in the process of establishing a free "step-on, step-off" shuttle bus service that is scheduled to begin operation soon. The shuttle service will connect the eastern and western sides of Lower Manhattan, from Battery Park City to the South Street Seaport. These "Downtown Connection" handicapped accessible, zero-emission electric powered buses will run from 10:00 a.m.to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week. They will travel in both directions on a U-shaped route along North and South End Avenues in Battery Park City, onto Battery Place and finally onto State and Water Streets until they reach Beekman Street. The buses will run 10 minute headways and each will seat approximately 30 people. This effort will lay the foundation for future shuttle bus service in Lower Manhattan.

Chapter 1: Restoring and Renewing Lower Manhattan’s Transportation Infrastructure 49

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