Timeline
Since it was founded in 2016, the Financial District Neighborhood Association has held many listening session and events to gauge community sentiment surrounding issues of pedestrian safety and the Financial District’s declining streetscape conditions. Summarized in the events leading up to 2019’s publication of Make Way For Lower Manhattan are a record of the FDNA’s public meetings and gatherings.​
Make Way for Lower Manhattan: Highlights of A Decade of Community Engagement for Safe and Clean Streets
2019
March 12, 2019
Marking hours of work by a tireless group of volunteers, the FDNA proudly releases Make Way for Lower Manhattan, a study that identifies a vision to make the Financial District’s streets safer for the people that live and work there. View our Press Release at this link.
A printable PDF of the Make Way for Lower Manhattan Vision is available at this link.
To learn more about Make Way for Lower Manhattan, view this video:
March 8, 2019
FDNA transmits copy to NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Trottenberg with request to spend the $500,000 committed in 2017 on a six-month slow-streets pilot project starting this Earth Day, April 22, 2019
2018
January 10, 2018
Regional Plan Association (RPA) released its Fourth Regional Plan, which calls for:
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In dense commercial areas, create car-free or low-car and low-emission districts: The densest parts of the city, where sidewalks are crowded and transit options are strong, should become either car-free pedestrian districts with no access for private automobiles, or low-car zones with very limited auto access, permitting only local residents, emergency vehicles, and local deliveries. One way to transition toward these car-free and low-car districts is to organize more regular street closures. Neighborhoods could be car-free during times of high traffic—on Halloween, for example—or throughout the summer, or on weekends (p. 137)
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Promote efficient, environmentally-friendly solutions to lower truck traffic for goods distribution (p. 138)
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Adopt single-stream recycling and other waste-management measures to reduce traffic and sidewalk crowding (p. 138)
2017
June 8, 2017
In a response letter to the Lower Manhattan delegation of elected officials, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner (NYC DOT) Commissioner Trottenberg committed her agency to developing a consultant scope of work to assess the current streetscape design of the Financial District and conduct a pedestrian and traffic safety study (Need to verify wording based on letter that I do not have).
March 28, 2017
New York City Council holds hearing on Mayor’s Preliminary FY18 Budget and in response to questions from Council Member Chin, Commissioner Trottenberg commits to using $500,000 in previously allocated funding toward pedestrian safety study.
Budget Season 2017
FDNA Board Members testify at NYC Council and Manhattan Borough Board, seeking public monies for dedicated pedestrian traffic safety issues in the Financial District.
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Click here to read Paul Proulx's testimony to the City Council
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Click here to read Amanda Timchak's testimony to the City Council
February 15, 2017
Manhattan Borough Board FY2018 Preliminary Budget Hearing - Testimony by Manhattan Community Board 1 Director of Planning and Land, Diana Switaj
February 14, 2017
The entire delegation of NYC’s Financial District elected officials request in a letter to NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg conduct a pedestrian mobility study in Lower Manhattan.
The letter was signed by State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou, Congress Member Jerrold Nadler, Borough President Gale Brewer, Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Manhattan Council Member Margaret Chin
January 12, 2017
In the historic Chase Boardroom (now Manhattan) at 28 Liberty Street, FDNA Hosts a Clean and Safe Sidewalks and Streets Panel with representatives from the Regional Plan Association, Port Authority of NY/NJ and Downtown Alliance. Moderated by Kate Ascher of Buro Happold Engineering, the panel addressed community outcry for safer pedestrian mobility in Lower Manhattan.
2016
December 3, 2016
FDNA Petition calling for Pedestrian Safety and Mobility Study for Lower Manhattan is released. Over 1,000 families sign the petition.
December 2, 2016
“Downside of Lower Manhattan’s Boom: It’s Just Too Crowded.” (The New York Times, by Winnie Hu)
August 13, 2016
Shared Streets: Lower Manhattan: NYC DOT launched this new public space initiative on a Saturday in the summer. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles shared the historic lower Manhattan streets and motorists were encouraged to drive 5mph. There was a wide range of local business offerings and free historic and cultural programs from bicycle and walking tours to live performances.​​
June 28, 2016
Continued Call for Funding for a Comprehensive Traffic and Street Mobility Study in Lower Manhattan – Manhattan Community Board 1 Resolution passes unanimously. It also includes, that “CB1 has previously expressed concerns regarding the proliferation of placard parking on the streets of CD1 and its negative impact on vehicular and pedestrian mobility” (pages 12-16/41).
June 21, 2016
Streetscape Study of Lower Manhattan released by Manhattan Community Board 1 showing that Financial District sidewalks have more impediments (benches, bike racks, fire hydrants, etc.) to easy passage than the rest of the District combined.
May 19, 2016
“Downtown leaders demand the city fund massive study of area’s unique issues” (Downtown Express/The Villager, by Colin Mixson)
February 11, 2016
Newly formed Financial District Neighborhood Association (FDNA) holds first Town Hall Meeting, first of several listening sessions with neighbors and community leaders to document the gathering consensus among residents that sidewalk issues and issues of pedestrian safety are paramount. Subsequent charrettes and public outreach by FDNA conducted on April 14, 2016 and November 10, 2016.
2015
July 28, 2015
Make Way for Lower Manhattan Community Board 1 Resolution passes unanimously. CB1 acknowledged Lower Manhattan faces mobility and connectivity problems and CB1 supported the principles outlined in the “Make Way for Lower Manhattan” initiative, a collaborative problem statement of some of the traffic and pedestrian mobility issues facing Lower Manhattan. “Make Way for Lower Manhattan” looks for ways to facilitate vehicular movement, provide room for people on overcrowded streets and sidewalks, and enhance the tourism experience (p 3-4/42).
July 2015
Manhattan Community District 1 Needs Assessment Pedestrian Survey, conducted in collaboration with Pace University and The City College of New York, shows “overcrowded sidewalks” and “overcrowded streets” are the top two serious problems in Financial District.
2010
September 2010
NYC DOT draft report Lower Manhattan Street Management - Shared Streets concluded that a shared street pilot zone is appropriate for implementation in Lower Manhattan. Within the pilot zone, it was concluded that shared streets would lead to enhanced pedestrian-oriented public realm and potentially produce economic and safety benefits.
2008
July 31, 2008
NYC DOT paper Street Management Framework for Lower Manhattan: The Downtown of the 21st Century is submitted for presentation and publication at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board.
