New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is announcing a new design for the wood and steel structures that protect pedestrians near construction sites.
So-called “sidewalk sheds” already dot the city, wherever buildings are going up or being renovated. Bloomberg says they haven’t been redesigned since the 1950s.
The new design looks like an oversized umbrella. It is the work of University of Pennsylvania architecture student Young-Hwan Choi, who won an international design competition.
Bloomberg said Thursday that the umbrella design will make sidewalks safer for pedestrians. He said they also are much more attractive than existing sidewalk structures.
Use of the big umbrellas will be voluntary, but property owners will be encouraged to install them.