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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sally Burns, Planning Associate at Union Square Partnership
6:07:03
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133 sec
Sally Burns, representing the Union Square Partnership, testifies about the need for funding to improve the streetscape along Fourteenth Street and revitalize Union Square Park. She requests $10 million in funding for the New York City Department of Transportation to implement the Union Square District Vision Plan.
- The plan aims to transform the public realm in Union Square Park and along Fourteenth Street.
- Despite the success of the Fourteenth Street busway, the pedestrian experience remains poor with inconsistent and deteriorating infrastructure.
- The requested funding would signal long-term support for the project and help finance its implementation.
Sally Burns
6:07:03
Good afternoon Chair Brooks Powers and committee members.
6:07:06
My name is Sally Burns and I'm the planning associate for Union Square Partnership, the nonprofit business improvement district stewarding Union Square and Fourteenth Street.
6:07:15
Union Square is a key transit hub, a powerful job center, an extraordinary residential community, a center for culture and recreation, a home to notable institutions, a burgeoning tech campus, and a favored shopping destination.
6:07:29
However, its park is outdated with infrastructure in disrepair, and the streetscape on its main thoroughfare is under invested, seemingly temporary, and incomplete.
6:07:39
The Union Square District Vision Plan, USQNEX, sets out to address these issues by transforming the public realm in Union Square Park and along Fourteenth Street.
6:07:48
Union Square lies the junction of the Broadway vision plan and the Fourteenth Street busway, the two most transformative surface transportation projects Manhattan has seen in generations, but Fourteenth Street remains a work in progress.
6:08:02
When the busway was implemented in 2019, the administration stopped short of making permanent streetscape upgrades to the corridor limiting the impact of the entire busway project.
6:08:13
While the busway carried almost 5,000,000 riders last year and bus speeds increased by 24% since implementation, the pedestrian experience on Fourteenth Street is inconsistent, disorganized, and often desolate with deteriorating sidewalk sections creating poor conditions for people with limited mobility.
6:08:31
Our vision plan would revitalize Fourteenth Street with a robust green streetscape, delivering a best in class pedestrian experience and a high quality retail environment.
6:08:42
Union Square Partnership is requesting $10,000,000 allocated to the New York City Department of Transportation, including 9,000,000 from New York City Council and 1,000,000 from the Manhattan borough president for an initial capital commitment towards construction.
6:08:57
This funding will signal long term support for the project, help finance its implementation, and sustain future phases.
6:09:05
We would like to thank Manhattan Community Board five for their letter of support and council members Rivera, Bacher, Powers, Krishnan, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine's staff for taking the time to meet with us about this important project.
6:09:16
Thank
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
6:09:16
you.