Quick overview
The city has cooked up a plan to widen the sidewalks on a famously jammed stretch of Canal Street where vendors hawk knockoff sneakers and faux designer bags, creating a human game of bumper-to-bumper foot traffic. The proposal targets the block between Broadway and Elizabeth Street and includes a few street-level swaps to give pedestrians more breathing room.
What’s changing
The transportation department is proposing to either push the curbs out or paint a wide “super sidewalk” — basically claiming painted space for people if the city doesn’t want to dig up the curbs. They’d also remove an eastbound traffic lane between Sixth Avenue and Hudson Street and convert the small triangular spot at Baxter Street (where the Chinatown info kiosk sits) into a proper pedestrian plaza.
Why now?
Officials say the redesign is being expedited after a terrible crash on the corridor claimed two lives. That tragedy put fresh urgency on rethinking Canal Street, which for years has acted more like a high-speed conduit than a neighborhood street.
Numbers that matter
According to city data, Canal Street has seen a worrying tally of severe crashes: 26 people were either killed or seriously hurt on the corridor over the last five years. The sidewalks are also crowded because several busy subway lines dump people into the same narrow stretch where tourists, locals and vendors all jostle for space.
What the city says
The mayor’s office framed the move as part of a push to make streets safer and smoother for everyone — pedestrians, transit users and even drivers. City spokespeople say they want a street design that improves traffic flow, protects people on foot, and gives the community a voice in the changes.
Advocates want bolder action
Street-safety groups praised the idea but urged the city to go further. One advocate applauded the step but argued that painted sidewalks are only a temporary fix — concrete curb extensions would be the real long-term solution to keep cars from cutting through and to make walking actually comfortable.
What it means for street life
If it happens, widened sidewalks could ease the daily shove-and-swerve around vendors and help older residents and transit riders move through Chinatown more safely. Vendors will still be part of the scene, but the hope is that folks won’t have to play human Frogger just to get to the subway.
Update
This story was updated with additional details about the proposal and reactions from city officials and safety groups.
