A more pedestrian-friendly Times Square

As Times Square has continued to grow in both fame and traffic, New York City has decided to make more room for the visitors who come on foot. The planning is done and construction has begun on NYC DOT's Green Light for Midtown which significantly reduces vehicular traffic and makes it a better place for people.

With video and photos, the NY Times reports on the first day without traffic:

On Sunday, the city sealed off Broadway to traffic at Times Square and at Herald Square, from 35th to 33rd Streets, where it intersects with the Avenue of Americas. On Monday, which was Memorial Day, the Times Square Alliance, a group that represents local businesses, set out 350 lawn chairs and 26 chaise longues where cars had previously held sway.

It is such a dramatic turn that Playbill has also posted a photo gallery. But this is going to require some changes to the virtual versions of Times Square in virtual worlds like Google Earth: