Dyer Avenue (Manhattan)
Encyclopedia
Dyer Avenue is a short, north-south thoroughfare in the Hell's Kitchen
neighborhood of Manhattan
in New York City
, located between Ninth Avenue
and Tenth Avenue
. It is primarily used by traffic exiting the Lincoln Tunnel
. Dyer Avenue runs between West 34th Street
and West 42nd Street
but functions as two distinct sections due to its connections with the south and center tubes of the Lincoln Tunnel. The at-grade portion of the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway between West 30th Street and West 31st Street is also referred to by street signs as "Dyer Avenue."
.
Although Dyer Avenue is mainly used by vehicles exiting the Lincoln Tunnel, drivers entering the tunnel can travel northbound on Dyer Avenue for a brief segment between West 34th Street and West 36th Street. These vehicles merge with other vehicles from a loop ramp from Ninth Avenue that continues to the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway and provides access to the center and north tubes of the Lincoln Tunnel.
North of West 39th Street, Dyer Avenue is used by northbound vehicles exiting the south and center tubes of the Lincoln Tunnel. Before the intersection with West 40th Street, there are direct ramps leading up to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
that are used by buses (to the upper levels of the terminal's north and south wings) and cars (to the parking garage above the south wing of the terminal). Another large parking garage is located on West 42nd Street, opposite the end of Dyer Avenue. Squeegee men
used to target motorists stopped at traffic signals in this area. The northern section of Dyer Avenue previously had a contraflow lane for buses to access the center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel during the evening rush hour on weekdays.
and died while the Lincoln Tunnel was under construction. A number of buildings in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood were demolished in order to construct the 75 feet (22.9 m) right-of-way of the new avenue and provide access to the Lincoln Tunnel, of which the first (now the center) tube opened in December 1937.
In 2003, as part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project
, the New York City Department of City Planning
issued a master plan that envisioned the creation of a network of open space
between Ninth Avenue and Tenth Avenue to create a park system from West 39th Street to West 34th Street, portions of which would be located along Dyer Avenue.
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
neighborhood of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, located between Ninth Avenue
Ninth Avenue (Manhattan)
Ninth Avenue / Columbus Avenue is a southbound thoroughfare on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Traffic runs downtown along its full length...
and Tenth Avenue
Tenth Avenue (Manhattan)
Tenth Avenue, known as Amsterdam Avenue north of 59th Street, is a north-south thoroughfare on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. It carries uptown traffic as far as West 110th Street, also known as Cathedral Parkway for the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine...
. It is primarily used by traffic exiting the Lincoln Tunnel
Lincoln Tunnel
The Lincoln Tunnel is a long tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting Weehawken, New Jersey and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.-History:...
. Dyer Avenue runs between West 34th Street
34th Street (Manhattan)
34th Street is a major cross-town street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, connecting the Lincoln Tunnel and Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Like many of New York City's major crosstown streets, it has its own bus routes and four subway stops serving the trains at Eighth Avenue, the trains at...
and West 42nd Street
42nd Street (Manhattan)
42nd Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, known for its theaters, especially near the intersection with Broadway at Times Square. It is also the name of the region of the theater district near that intersection...
but functions as two distinct sections due to its connections with the south and center tubes of the Lincoln Tunnel. The at-grade portion of the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway between West 30th Street and West 31st Street is also referred to by street signs as "Dyer Avenue."
Traffic
South of West 38th Street, Dyer Avenue is used by southbound vehicles exiting the south tube of the Lincoln Tunnel. Traffic exiting the center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel may also access Dyer Avenue by using an exit ramp from the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway that merges with Dyer Avenue before its intersection with West 36th Street. At this intersection, there is also a southbound entrance ramp to the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway. This ramp permits traffic from the south tube of the tunnel to access the expressway, however the amount of traffic using this entrance ramp is relatively low because the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway ends a few blocks to the south at West 30th Street and was never connected to the proposed Mid-Manhattan ExpresswayMid-Manhattan Expressway
The Mid-Manhattan Expressway was a planned but never built expressway that would have crossed Midtown Manhattan in the vicinity of 30th Street, connecting the Lincoln Tunnel between Manhattan and New Jersey to the Queens Midtown Tunnel between Manhattan and Long Island.- Initial proposals :Plans...
.
Although Dyer Avenue is mainly used by vehicles exiting the Lincoln Tunnel, drivers entering the tunnel can travel northbound on Dyer Avenue for a brief segment between West 34th Street and West 36th Street. These vehicles merge with other vehicles from a loop ramp from Ninth Avenue that continues to the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway and provides access to the center and north tubes of the Lincoln Tunnel.
North of West 39th Street, Dyer Avenue is used by northbound vehicles exiting the south and center tubes of the Lincoln Tunnel. Before the intersection with West 40th Street, there are direct ramps leading up to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
that are used by buses (to the upper levels of the terminal's north and south wings) and cars (to the parking garage above the south wing of the terminal). Another large parking garage is located on West 42nd Street, opposite the end of Dyer Avenue. Squeegee men
Squeegee man
A squeegee man or squeegee woman, squeegee kid , squeegee punk , squeegee merchant or squeegee bandit is a person who, washcloth and squeegee in hand, wipes windshields of cars stopped in traffic and then solicits money from drivers.-Canada:In Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg they are...
used to target motorists stopped at traffic signals in this area. The northern section of Dyer Avenue previously had a contraflow lane for buses to access the center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel during the evening rush hour on weekdays.
History
Dyer Avenue is named after General George Rathborne Dyer, who was the chairman of the board of the Port Authority of New York and New JerseyPort Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
and died while the Lincoln Tunnel was under construction. A number of buildings in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood were demolished in order to construct the 75 feet (22.9 m) right-of-way of the new avenue and provide access to the Lincoln Tunnel, of which the first (now the center) tube opened in December 1937.
In 2003, as part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project
Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project
The Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project is a New York City Department of City Planning and Metropolitan Transportation Authority proposal to encourage business development on Manhattan's far West Side along the Hudson River. The project initially included a rezoning of the Far West Side of...
, the New York City Department of City Planning
New York City Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning is a governmental agency of New York City responsible for setting the framework of city's physical and socioeconomic planning...
issued a master plan that envisioned the creation of a network of open space
Urban open space
In land use planning, urban open space is open space areas for “parks”, “green spaces”, and other open areas. The landscape of urban open spaces can range from playing fields to highly maintained environments to relatively natural landscapes. They are commonly open to public access, however, urban...
between Ninth Avenue and Tenth Avenue to create a park system from West 39th Street to West 34th Street, portions of which would be located along Dyer Avenue.