Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Lost? Sidewalk Compass Being Tested in NYC

It's a common problem in New York City. Folks coming out of the subways sometimes have to stop and think where they are -- and which way they have to turn to get where they're going.

New York City transit is trying out an idea. Large stickers pointing out north, south, east and west and the nearest streets in each direction are being placed on the sidewalks.

The Grand Central Partnership, a business group dedicated to improving and promoting the area near Grand Central Terminal, is paying $15,000 for the compass-sticker tryout.

Meanwhile, transit officials are working on another effort to make the subway system more inviting. About 250 additional workers have been hired to clean it, and plans call for adding 100 more. The cleanup comes after many riders gave the system bad grades for cleanliness in recent surveys.

Almost 5 million passengers ride the subways on an average weekday. The 660-mile system includes 468 stations under and above city streets.


Good idea! It happens to me all the time.

Photo from 1010WINS

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Manhattan is a grid system - east & west are incredibly obvious, except to the additional 5 million tourists that Mayor "Doomberg" wants to attract. This is another example of dumbing down the city for visitors.

Why don't they "ask a local"?

Caitlin B said...

That IS a good idea. They should put brass (or what have you) ones set into the concrete. That would be sophisticated, and less wasteful (plastic-wise).

Anonymous said...

agree with caitlin. Static compasses set in concrete would look much nicer. Still, the idea itself is great. Won't be needing to ask people on the street which way is which anymore.

Anonymous said...

I hope that no nationality will be offended
if the street locations aren't translated into i.e. Erdu etc.

verdi said...

I'd love to see the design for the compass pointing to Queens (if there is any).

It will probably depict dragons and sea monsters
encircling a warning to tourists:

"Dare ye not travel beyond yon point....
or elst ye shall drop off the face of the earth".

Logical Judgement said...

This is a good idea. As someone who fairly recently moved here, this is something I constantly have to do. You never know which way you'll be facing when you come up from the subway. And yes, it's sometimes obvious, but not always. It's not dumbing it down for the visitors, it's simply making it more convenient to everyone!

Anonymous said...

"Mash".....
NYC's simple grid system
is understandable even to idiots
if they took a moment.

It was planned, I believe, as early as the 1820s.

This is an expensive piece of eyewash
to be funded by taxpayers.

Maps are cheaper to produce
and are already in use
in each neighborhood subway station.

NYC has far more pressing problems
that require money to be spent on.....
in Queens in particular.

We should not be spending $$$$$$
ass kissing Manhattan tourists
who can't find their own butts to wipe!

The Stupid NYC Blog Owner... said...

I ain't a tourist and I still get disoriented when I crawl out of the hole in the ground. I like the idea.

Anonymous said...

Then you'd better lay off the blunts....
"stupid NYC" !

Any native new Yorker who gets disoriented that easily
must be stoned.