Mayor de Blasio to Dig Up Times Square Pedestrian Plazas?

Times Square tourists, theatergoers, street performers and local workers might have much less space to mingle if a proposal by Mayor Bill de Blasio moves forward.

The New York Times writes that de Blasio is considering removing the famed intersection's pedestrian plazas, which were installed in 2009 as one of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's big accomplishments.

By disposing of the chairs and tables, de Blasio's option (one of several that will be evaluated by city officials) hopes to restore traffic flow to parts of Broadway and Seventh Avenue now threatened by "topless women wearing body paint," amongst other street performers.

A task force is being assembled to "consider ideas on how to limit activities deemed illegal or harmful to the area's quality of life."

Unsavory individuals aside, this could unwittingly affect many performers who take to the streets to drum up audiences for their shows. Not to mention it could pose dangers -- more cars, more problems -- to the crowds of tourists flocking to the New York City landmark.

Deciding the fate of the plazas is "a very big endeavor, and like every other option comes with pros and cons," de Blasio told the Times. "So we're going to look at what those pros and cons would be. You could argue that those plazas have had some very positive impacts. You could also argue they come with a lot of problems."

Reactions to de Blasio's proposal have ranged from "dig the whole damn thing up" (Police Commissioner William J. Bratton) to "That's not a solution. It's a surrender" (Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins).

What do you think? Plazas or no plazas? Tell us in the comments below!

Photo: Facebook/Times Square Alliance