That it's somewhat controversial even in New York to make tiny changes making a small number of streets more pedestrian friendly (generally without really having a significant negative impact on driving or parking) is quite amazing. I was in NYC over the holidays and the number of pedestrians is staggering. As in, there isn't enough room for them. I'm not for banning all of the cars, but anyone with eyes can see that people walk too, also, and that if your goal is moving humans as opposed to moving machines, they deserve a bit of consideration.
