City To Make 1 Block Of University Pl A 'Shared Street': Report

GREENWICH VILLAGE, NY — The city is planning a one-block "shared street" on University Place, despite calls from the community board to make a 10-block greenway along the Village corridor.

The Department of Transportation is planning to build a one-block-long "shared street" along University Place between 13th and 14th streets, Streetsblog first reported.

The "shared street" would limit car speeds to 5 miles per hour and allow for the street to be open to pedestrians, according to a DOT presentation to Community Board 2 in May.

Via DOT

Though CB 2 accepted the plan in a 38-1 vote at its May full board meeting, the board voted on a resolution stating it would prefer a 10-block long greenway along the corridor connecting Union Square to Washington Square Park.

"CB2's very first choice would be a greenway on University Pl. from 14th St. to W. 4th St. where it would connect to Washington Sq. Park, and encourages DOT to study the potential for installing such a greenway and report back to CB2 on possible measures to achieve this," the board wrote in a resolution last month.

CB 2 also worries the 5 mph speed limit would not be enforced.

"CB2 strongly urges DOT to arrange a true 5 mph speed limit that can be enforced on the University Pl. shared street," the board wrote.

DOT told Streetsblog that the department is open to discussing expansions in the future.

"Shared streets are still relatively new to New York City, and we must be strategic about their development and placement," DOT spokesman Brian Zumhagen told Streetsblog. "Should University Place prove successful, which we believe it will, we would of course be happy to discuss potential expansion in the future."

For the full Streetsblog report, see here.