In its current state, the Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue intersection is a pedestrian’s nightmare. Through a combination of streetscape improvements and a program that would include the addition of a public art space, retail space, and green-markets, this project aims to reverse the vehicular-heavy traffic hierarchy that characterizes the area. We seek to transform the area into a pedestrian destination rather than a transit corridor.

Fourth Avenue, between Eighth Street and Tenth Street, will be reduced to two lanes in either direction. Turning across oncoming traffic will no longer be allowed at the Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue intersection, thereby expediting the flow of traffic and simultaneously increasing the safety of the pedestrian. Cars which wish to turn at this intersection will be forced to use Eighth Street and Tenth Street respectively. A separate bicycle lane will also be added on the east side of Fourth Avenue. The bicycle lane will be protected from the automobile lanes by a concrete curb. Parking will not be allowed on these blocks. By eliminating parking and reducing the width of Fourth Avenue, the sidewalk can then be widened. The median, which currently is nothing more than a sliver of concrete, will become a green recreational space. It will be widened, thereby becoming a friendly, usable park area.

On Fourth Avenue between Eighth Street and Ninth Street the green space will contain trees, grass and picnic tables. Where the crosswalk meets the median, there will be a bench, a garbage can and a water fountain. The median is separated from the street by an iron fence, providing both decoration and a barrier of safety.

The median on Fourth Avenue between Ninth Street and Tenth Street will be widened just as the median one block to the North. However, instead of containing picnic tables and trees, this space will be covered in grass and, at its center, a space for temporary public sculpture will be created.

On the sidewalks which flank Fourth Avenue between Ninth Street and Tenth Street, which will be widened as well, a weekly green market will be held. The now closed storefronts which line this block will be reopened and rented to promote a sense of street life. Just as there is a subway entrance on the East side of Fourth Avenue under the overpass, the now closed entrance on the West side of the street will be opened, just as the entrance around the corner on 10th Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues will be.

The overpass, which is currently covered in billboards and paint, will be stripped. By cleaning the glass and removing the billboards, Fourth Avenue will become a dramatic vista. Pedestrians will be able to see the F train pull into the station through the glass from the street. What is now a dreary shell of what once was will be restored into a beautifully detailed, glazed Subway Station.

Crossing the street does not have to be the harrowing experience which is the current Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue intersection. With these practical alterations, the Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street intersection can become a wonderful pedestrian place. The effects of these simple and cost-effective changes will be immense. The intersection will contain space for recreation and public art, an increase in commerce and in street life as well as improved safety for both pedestrians and cyclists while aiding the flow of traffic.