F. Vehicular Traffic
Chapter 9: Transportation (Vehicular Traffic) F. VEHICULAR TRAFFIC EXISTING CONDITIONS STREET AND ROADWAY NETWORK Traffic conditions in the study area vary in relation to a number of factors—the nature of the street and roadway network, surrounding land uses and the presence of major traffic generators, and the intensity of interaction between autos, taxis, trucks, buses, deliveries, and pedestrians. The study area contains five subareas, or zones—Lower Manhattan, the Lower East Side, East Midtown, the Upper East Side, and East Harlem—and each has different street and roadway characteristics along its length. East Midtown, the Upper East Side, and East Harlem are characterized by a regular street grid, with avenues running north-south and streets running east- west. Each of the major north-south avenues—First, Second, Third, Lexington, Park, Madison, and Fifth Avenues—are major traffic carriers. There is just one limited-access roadway, the FDR Drive, which extends around the eastern edge of the study area from its northern end to its southern end. A general overview of the character of the street and roadway network in each of the five zones is presented below. Lower Manhattan is characterized by an irregular grid pattern south of Canal Street. Except for a few major arterials, most streets within the area are narrow with usually just one "moving" lane. Travel is time-consuming and slow along them. Pedestrian traffic often overflows into the street space, further impeding vehicular traffic flow. Water Street and Broadway are the two key north-south streets in this area, and carry two or more effective travel lanes, yet are often difficult to negotiate due to frequent double-parked truck traffic.
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