A Reuters report says that getting around Manhattan could become easier for tourists, and native New Yorkers, thanks to new stickers on sidewalks that point people in the right direction.
To help subway riders find their way when they emerge on the street the city is testing large compass stickers that point to north, south, east and west, and the nearest streets.
Grand Central Partnership (GCP), a business group developing the area near Grand Central Terminal, has spent $US15,000 on the project so far.
“It’s a really exciting time and I’ve been really overwhelmed by the interest in it, and I am not surprised because it’s a practical thing that people can relate to,” President Alfred C Cerullo of GCP said in an interview.
The idea began when a long-time New York resident wrote to City Hall saying that although he had lived in the city for quite a number of years, he would still get lost leaving the subway while trying to figure out his bearings.
“I’m a native New Yorker and it still happens to me,” Cerullo said.
GCP is running a survey on its website to get reactions about the project. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, so the stickers could be replaced by more permanent fixtures, according to Cerullo.
“Tourism is a huge industry in every major city and what’s interesting is that this is a programme that can be used anywhere, in other neighbourhoods in New York City, anywhere around the world,” he said.
The pilot will continue until the beginning of next week and then be evaluated over the winter. Cerullo said GCP needs to be careful to place the decals so they don’t slow people down.
“We want to keep people moving and we want it to be easy and quick to read.” “We want it to be something that actually gets them to their destination more quickly and without them having walked down the block and thinking, ‘Oops, that’s the wrong way’,” Cerullo said.
A Report by The Mole from Reuters.
