Stephan Schmidt

Associate Professor, Director, Master of Regional Planning Program

Stephan Schmidt, an associate professor at Cornell University, studies the design and use of urban public space and has previously written about the rise and fall of the American pedestrian mall. He says the Fifth Avenue redesign would benefit pedestrians, but a lack of alleyways could complicate things.

Schmidt says:

“During the pandemic, cities and local governments began experimenting with streetscape design to promote pedestrian and bicycle mobility and increase the amount of shared public space. While many of these efforts were temporary and ended with the pandemic, several cities have continued to innovate and rethink how the public right of way is being used. 

“Unlike earlier efforts to pedestrianize American downtowns, many of which failed and had little to no support from the local business and retail community, recent efforts have received more support from local businesses, reflecting broader shifts in thinking about mobility and access, but also suggesting a changing retail environment. 

“While NYC has many pedestrians who would benefit from sidewalk widenings, such as that proposed for 5th Avenue, the city also suffers from a lack of alleyways for service and delivery vehicles, potentially leading to an increase in tension over access to public space as the streetscape is reconfigured.”