41st Street used to funnel charter and commuter buses coming from the east side and the theater district, as well as trucks into the Lincoln Tunnel. For security reasons, the street was closed immediately after September 11, 2001.
Since the detour was instituted in 2001, there have been 389 pedestrian and bicycle injuries above 41st street on 9th avenue. At the intersection of 42nd Street and 9th Avenue, injuries increased by 86% between 2001 and 2004.
The extra security provided by the often unmanned street barricades on 41st Street at 8th avenue and the control of license plate for a small proportion of vehicles at 9th Avenue do not seem to outweigh the security hazards caused by the street closure.
This street closure gives a false sense of security. At the same time, the negative effects of this closure on the neighboring population are real and measurable.