New York Governor to Replace Sheridan Expressway with Pedestrian Boulevard

The Sheridan Expressway has been a nuisance for the South Bronx citizens for more than 50 years. Because of this construction, their access to riverfront was eliminated. However, as of recently, the New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has the right plans to handle this situation. He intends to tear down the inconvenient road and replace it with a pedestrian boulevard. This project can bring the community spirit back to the Bronx.

Pedestrian Boulevard Is a Key Element in Urban Life

On Sunday, Governor Cuomo revealed his intention to use the state budget to cover a $700 million project. This time, the expensive plans will be to the benefit of all citizens that live in South Bronx. The result of this project will see a decommissioned Interstate 895. In place of this highly unloved Expressway, the community will be able to enjoy a pedestrian boulevard. Activists and local officials have been promoting this novel concept for 15 years.

The main goal of this project is to enable more quality time within a community. A boulevard has been a construct of social life and an important part of the urban medium for years. It provides a means to disengage from the bustle of a city where the pace is much slower than the busy hive of the professional environment. Moreover, the new boulevard will develop along the river. The Bronx River was once one of the most polluted waters in the United States. However, it is now full of life once again and can provide a peaceful background for a family walk.

The Sheridan Expressway Should Have Been Connected to the New England Thruway

The Sheridan Expressway was thought to receive bigger proportions than it has today. Robert Moses was the one who designed the freeway that cut South Bronx in two parts. He went down in history as an important planner, even though he did not do much good to the benefit of the community. He intended to go further than this and expand the Sheridan to reach the Bronx Zoo and the New England Thruway as well. However, the public didn’t offer support, so the road remained in its present state.

The New York Governor sees the new plan as a way to satisfy both community and merchants. The public can enjoy the safer area with a pedestrian boulevard that enables them to reach parks along the river. The elimination of the Sheridan Expressway is also linked to a decrease in asthma cases that regard children mainly. At the same time, merchants will benefit modern road of their own.

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