“One WTC sidewalks are open to the public for the first time in 14 years,” tweeted @WTCProgress (the tweet has since been withdrawn reposted with “13 years”), along with a photo of pedestrians on West Street. Not quite sure what the scope of this change was, I headed over this morning.

Walking along Vesey, you can get a good look at the north entrance of 1WTC (but not yet walk on that side of the street, although it’ll open soon, by the look of things)….

Sure enough, the West Street sidewalk is open from Vesey down through the 9/11 Memorial, without all the chain-link fencing (although West Street is still bollarded off).

What was even more interesting, at least to me (since I hadn’t been there in a while), was how much of the 1 World Trade Center is now exposed. Looking east on Vesey….

And the raised western plaza of 1 WTC—well, it’s raised at the north end….

But at the south it’s at grade.

And now we can get a good look at the west entrance to 1 WTC, which is evidently where the One World Observatory will be accessed.

On what’s called Fulton Street, according to Google Maps (although it’s closed to public traffic), you can see the south entrance to 1WTC. There’s a wall of green light inside. UPDATE: “Per a reputable source, the West Entrance to One WTC will open on Monday, October 27th where the public will have access to the West Concourse below,” commented Luis of the FiDi Fan Page. UPDATE #2: “Conde Nast begins moving in to 1WTC on 10/31. Employees will enter from the North or South side of the building or from the Conde Nast lobby on the C-1 level below the building,” said Chris in a comment. And Anthony said this: “West Lobby is most likely NOT opening on 10/27. There has been discussions between the PA and Durst on whether they can open it or not, but there is still quite a bit of construction left on the B2 level corridors/retail/Observatory lobby which is on B2. Expect it to open in December the earliest, when access from Tower 2 and 4 is open to PATH hall.”

There’s hope we’ll soon be able to cross West Street at Fulton—perhaps once the retractable security bollards are completed.

And then you’re in the 9/11 Memorial, with no way to get out except to the south or back the way you came. Boy, an entrance/exit at the northeast would sure be welcome.