Americans are possessed by internal combustion, and this auto centrism
has degraded social interaction, corrupted our environment, and
perverted our cities. False prophets selling greener pastures and
whiter districts have mangled mans grandest endeavor, the magnificent
city. While the metropolis offers utopian promise with splendid
towers climbing serenely to the heavens, the earth we occupy sits in a
snarling chaos of vehicular brutality. But in a failing economy, the
cars juvenile assertion of freedom and power and its impetus for
civilian and foreign conflict is laid bare before our eyes. We see the
light, that we are no longer driving cars, but that cars are driving
us mad.

Like any addiction, to quit cold turkey would be debilitating, and so
design and government must serve as rehab for society. We must focus
on alternative means of transportation and the development of urban
villages in tandem with dismantling the suburbs and eliminating all
forms of automotive subsidies. The bicycle holds the key to the new
city, and all new infrastructures for two-wheeled transit should come
at the expense of tyrannical motorists.

The new intersection will focus on alternative transportation modes.
New bicycle lanes reallocate space traditionally reserved for cars,
compress vehicle lanes to calm traffic, and are sheltered from
vehicles by bollards. Street parking is eliminated on 4th Avenue,
emphasizing its status as a travel street. Speed bumps on adjoining
residential streets and zoned parking will inhibit automotive
reliance. Some street parking is sacrificed on 9th Street in favor of
weather sheltered bicycle parking. These enhancements mark the
intersection as a travel hub to access the greater city via transit.

Sustainability takes precedence in all enhancements. Bicycle lanes are
paved with permeable asphalt. Rainfall will follow the street grading
from traffic lanes, into the bike lane and into the ground, rather
than into the stressed sewer system. Dark sky lighting will minimize
light pollution and conserve energy while providing greater color
recognition. New trees and high-albedo paving will buffer the heating
power of the sun, while photovoltaics will harness its energy.

Finally, the experience of the pedestrian and the value of community
are central to the design. Bike lanes have traffic signals just as
vehicles. Streets are beautified with planters and buffered by bike
lanes. The resulting serenity and allotted space is conducive to
outdoor cafes, fostering a sense of community. The redesign of the
subways station, while preserving character furthers this sense.
Garish billboards and overbearing architecture are eliminated in favor
of a terminal that functions as a focal point and a community square.

So the growling machines of the past will grind to a halt, impotent
without their crude nourishment. Though we lie in the trough, soon we
will surf the crest of a powerful wave of new urbanism. To escalate
this sea change, we must build a new infrastructure to enable the
populace. As the streetscape changes, so will hearts and minds, and
New York can retain spot on the pedestal as the greatest city in the
world.