Would This Have Changed ‘Manhattan Distance’?

In the July 2, 2006 New York Times (What? I’ve been busy moving across the country), Sam Roberts’ “City of Angles” briefs the history of the Manhattan grid design. The part I liked the most is where one official contemplated “whether they should adopt some of those supposed improvements, by circles, ovals and stars,
which certainly embellish a plan, whatever may be their effects as to convenience and utility.” I suppose it would be irresponsible of me to retroactively vote for that plan, if for no other reason than I would like to see how it would look on a map (and would secretly like to see a little of the resulting chaos on the ground). Problem is, it would make GIS a little harder if we were all having to calculate using what I imagine would be called Parisian Distance.