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- Jun 27, 2011
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Times Square -- the "crossroads of the world" -- is beautiful just as it is, thank you.
That's New York City's official response following reports that the city was facing pressure under a federal law to remove its iconic oversized billboards from the site, perhaps best known as the backdrop to the country's New Year's Eve celebrations.
Capital New York and CBS2 first reported that a 2012 federal transportation law had ensnared Times Square by declaring that the storied Broadway and 7th Avenue intersection -- and other city streets -- fell under the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, because they were arterial routes to the federal highway system.
The 1965 law says billboards within 660 feet of a highway can't be more than 1,200 square feet. And Times Square's looming luminous signs certainly fall outside those restrictions.
But federal and city officials said Wednesday they're trying to work it out. Representatives with the city and the Federal Highway Administration told FoxNews.com they don't plan to take the signs down.
"The signage will not be removed," the city DOT official said in an email. The official noted that these streets must comply with federal regulations, but said the city is in "direct contact with the Federal Highway Administration on the matter and are working with New York State DOT and New York City Department of Buildings to identify a solution in which signage will remain unchanged."
Federal Highway Administration spokesman Doug Hecox also said the agency has been working with state and city officials "for nearly a year to correct this unintentional consequence" of the 2012 law.
It's unclear how the city might be able to get out of it. City Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg reportedly said the city has been under pressure to get rid of the billboards -- or give up part of the state's federal highway funds.
That's New York City's official response following reports that the city was facing pressure under a federal law to remove its iconic oversized billboards from the site, perhaps best known as the backdrop to the country's New Year's Eve celebrations.
Capital New York and CBS2 first reported that a 2012 federal transportation law had ensnared Times Square by declaring that the storied Broadway and 7th Avenue intersection -- and other city streets -- fell under the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, because they were arterial routes to the federal highway system.
The 1965 law says billboards within 660 feet of a highway can't be more than 1,200 square feet. And Times Square's looming luminous signs certainly fall outside those restrictions.
But federal and city officials said Wednesday they're trying to work it out. Representatives with the city and the Federal Highway Administration told FoxNews.com they don't plan to take the signs down.
"The signage will not be removed," the city DOT official said in an email. The official noted that these streets must comply with federal regulations, but said the city is in "direct contact with the Federal Highway Administration on the matter and are working with New York State DOT and New York City Department of Buildings to identify a solution in which signage will remain unchanged."
Federal Highway Administration spokesman Doug Hecox also said the agency has been working with state and city officials "for nearly a year to correct this unintentional consequence" of the 2012 law.
It's unclear how the city might be able to get out of it. City Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg reportedly said the city has been under pressure to get rid of the billboards -- or give up part of the state's federal highway funds.
