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New York City Expands Nation-Leading Open Streets Program with 23 More Miles in Areas Hit Hard by COVID-19 Crisis

June 24, 2020

New streets bring total to 67 miles, across all five boroughs, in under two months; Additions include nine new miles of protected bike lanes

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today added another 23 miles to New York City’s nation-leading Open Streets program, bringing the citywide total to 67 miles – two-thirds of the way to the 100-mile goal laid out in late April. The new Open Streets, which are located primarily in neighborhoods hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis, include nine miles of temporary protected bike lanes.

The Administration is also prioritizing the most heat burdened communities with plans to designate certain Open Streets as “Cool Streets.” The City will open up blocks with tree-based shade and hydrants as part of DEP’s Cool Hydrant and spray cap program. The first set of “Cool Streets will be announced in the coming days.

“As the school year ends and a hot, challenging summer begins, New Yorkers will need more options to play outside,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “New York City now offers more car-free street space than any other city in the country, and we’re proud to build on that progress in all five boroughs.”

Google has added the previous 40-plus miles of Open Streets into Google Maps, allowing drivers using online navigation to steer clear of these streets; today’s new Open Streets will also be added to Google Maps in the coming days.

The nine new miles of bike corridors, like the first nine miles of temporary lanes announced in May, will be phased in throughout the summer using markings, barrels, signage, and other barriers, to implement both permanent and temporary projects along with critical connectors from already-established protected lanes. During the rollout of these bike lanes, DOT will also be implementing new Green Wave signal timing changes on DeKalb and Lafayette Avenues in Brooklyn, in addition to existing Green Wave corridors to help speed bike commutes.

“With summer now in full swing, and the City slowly reopening, we’re excited to bring new Open Streets to more communities, from the North Shore of Staten Island to Far Rockaway in Queens, along with new protected bike connections to Central Park and the Queensboro Bridge,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “Thanks to the hard work of Mayor de Blasio, our sister agencies, BIDs and other community groups, Open Streets continues to grow, helping more New Yorkers who’ve been cooped up for so long get out and keep moving while maintaining social distancing.” 

Protected Bike Lanes
Neighborhood Boro Street From To Mileage
Central Queens/Central Park QN Broadway/Northern Blvd 34th Ave Queensboro Plaza 3.60
MN 61/62 Sts Queensboro Br 5th Ave 1.30
Lower MN/SOHO MN Center/Lafayette Brooklyn Br Spring St 1.41
Midtown Core MN 6th/7th Ave 59th St 34th St/47th St 1.78
Central Park/Midtown MN 5th Ave 120th St 110th St 1.00
Total 9.09

Local Partner Management
Partner Boro Street From To Mileage Notes
JCCRP QN Reads Ln Empire Ave Jarvis Ave 0.52 8a-8p Sat Only
JCCRP QN Beach 12th St Central Ave Dinsmore Ave 0.25 8a-8p Sat Only
Times Square Alliance MN 46th Street 8th Ave 9th Ave 0.16 4p-8p all days
Brooklyn Greenway Initiative BK West St Quay St Greenpoint Ave 0.24 8a-8p weekend only
Downtown Bk Partnership BK Willoughby St Lawrence St Flatbush Ext 0.18 10a-6p all days, extension of existing open street
Uptown Grand Central MN 101st St Park Ave 3rd Ave 0.17 12p-8p all days
Hudson Sq BID MN King St Hudson St Greenwich St 0.08 11a-3p all days
Hudson Sq BID MN Little 6th Ave Spring St Broome St 0.08 11a-3p all days
Hudson Sq BID MN Dominick St Varick St Little 6th Ave 0.05 11a-3p all days
Central Astoria LDC QN Newtown Ave 30th Ave 31st St 0.15 10a-8p Fri, Sat, Sun Only
32nd St 30th Ave Newtown Ave
Red Hook Business Alliance BK Reed St Conover St Van Brunt St 0.08 12p-8p Fri, Sat, Sun Only
Connectemos MN Audubon Ave 183rd St 193rd St 0.59
Flatiron Partnership MN 29th St Broadway Madison Ave 0.19
Thai Community USA QN 37th Ave 75th St 80th St 0.24 10a-4p Sunday Only
LES Enfants de Boheme MN Jefferson St E Broadway Madison St 0.09 10a-9p Th,F,S,Sun
Marcus Meets Malcolm MN 120th St Lenox Ave Mt Morris Park W 0.08
Total 3.15

Local Precinct
Neighborhood Boro Street From To Mileage
Brownsville BK Blake Ave Rockaway Ave Powell St 0.34
Brownsville BK Livonia Ave Mother Gaston Blvd Powell St 0.15
Bushwick BK Humboldt St Moore St Flushing Ave 0.19
BK Moore St Humboldt St Bushwick Ave 0.11
Harlem MN 129th St Adam Clayton Powell Blvd Frederick Douglass Blvd 0.15
Claremont BX Washington Ave 171st St 169th St 0.34
Castle Hill BX Randall Ave Olmstead Ave Havemeyer Ave 0.62
Morris Heights BX Nelson Ave Featherbed Ln Macombs Rd 0.25
East Bronx BX Holland Ave Boston Rd S Oak Dr 0.61
Longwood BX Louis Nine Blvd Intervale Ave Southern Blvd 0.13
Kingsbridge BX Tibbett Ave 238th St 232nd St 0.37
Morrisiana BX Trinity Ave E 166 St E 161 St 0.37
Crotona BX Crotona Pkwy Bronx Park S 180th St 0.14
Laconia BX Yates Ave Burke Ave Adee Ave 0.11
Concourse BX McClellan St River Ave Cromwell Ave 0.16
Cromwell Ave McClellan St Jerome Ave
Sheepshead Bay BK Bragg St Ave V Ave Y 0.46
Midwood BK Ave K 15th 17th 0.10
Crown Heights BK Schenectady Ave Eastern Pkwy Empire Blvd 0.33
East New York BK Stanley Ave Vermont Ave Van Siclen Ave 0.40
Stanley Ave Scheneck Ave Ashford St
New Lots BK Blake Ave Miller St Hindsdale St 0.50
Prospect Heights BK Carlton Ave Dean St Bergen St 0.05
Woodside QN 60th St Queens Blvd 43rd Ave 0.07
Chelsea MN 25th St 8th Ave 9th Ave 0.17
Hell’s Kitchen MN 44th St 9th Ave 10th Ave 0.16
Ozone Park QN 77th Street Atlantic Ave 101st St 0.29
Far Rockaway QN Rockaway Fwy Ocean Crest Blvd Regina Ave 0.27
Boerum Hill BK Pacific St Smith St Nevins St 0.38
Boerum Hill BK Wyckoff St Nevins St 3rd Ave 0.11
Brooklyn Heights BK Montague St Hicks St Pierrepont Pl 0.08
Ridgewood QN Onderdonk Ave Starr St DeKalb Ave 0.20
Stapleton SI Water St Bay St Front St 0.08
Stapleton SI Canal St Bay St Front St 0.07
Jamaica Hills QN 165th St Chapin Pkwy 85th Ave 0.09
Sunset Park BK 21st St 3rd Ave 7th Ave 0.56
Bushwick BK Troutman St Irving Ave St. Nicholas Ave 0.24
Greenpoint BK Driggs Ave Monitor St Meeker Ave 0.16
Bed Stuy BK Fulton St Marcy Ave Brooklyn Ave 0.11
Bushwick BK Ellery St Broadway Beaver St 0.10
Total 9.02

Adjacent Park Roads
Park Boro Street From To Mileage
Red Hook Recreation Center BK Henry St Lorraine St Bay St 0.09
Commodore Barry Park BK N Elliott Pl Park Ave Flushing Ave 0.11
Crocheron Park QN 35th Ave Corbett Rd Dead End 0.28
Captain Rivera Playground BX Forest Ave 156th St Westchester Ave 0.05
Riverdale Playground BX 236th St Hudson Manor Terr Independence Ave 0.12
Ralph DeMarco Park QN Shore Blvd Ditmars Blvd 20th Ave 0.33
Ditmars Blvd 19th St Shore Blvd 0.12
Total 1.10

“The Open Streets Program has been a huge success for our residents in Jackson Heights, allowing neighbors of all ages to walk, bike, play or just sit outside for some fresh air with plenty of room to social distance and without worries of car traffic. We’re grateful to have this program expand so that more New Yorkers can enjoy being outside as our city re-opens,” said State Senator Jessica Ramos.

"Families for Safe Streets is grateful to the Department of Transportation for expanding the open streets program. Creating more space for people means increased safety and a less stressful environment. We look forward to working with DOT in implementing and further expanding this program, making us the city with the most open streets per square mile in the world,” said Rhondelle Booker, member of Families for Safe Streets and sister of Hermanda Booker, beloved special education teacher killed at age 29, on her way to school.

"BGI is thrilled to be working with local community members to provide more space along the Greenway and better access to the waterfront," said Terri Carta Executive Director, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative.

"We're pleased to see that the City continues to move forward with more miles of open streets in all five boroughs, and especially into neighborhoods that have been especially hard-hit by the pandemic," said Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. "We applaud the Department of Transportation for adding more temporary protected bike lanes, and we're eager to work together to turn these temporary lanes into permanent infrastructure for New Yorkers who bike."

"We're excited to partner with the city on expanding the Open Streets program in Downtown Brooklyn," said Regina Myer, president of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. "As New Yorkers return to our commercial corridors, the additional space is vital to public safety and the successful reopening of our city. This plan paves the way for more people to bike, walk and safely spend time outdoors at a vital moment for our small businesses and local economy."

"Today's announcement represents one more step toward an equitable recovery from COVID and the fairer city we need more than ever. Rededicating our streets for people complements our transit system, easing crowding, and making travel safer for subway, bus, and paratransit riders. More open streets, bike lanes, and bus lanes together help clear the air and put New Yorkers first in our shared public space. The Riders Alliance thanks the hardworking people at DOT for moving these important projects forward in difficult circumstances,” said Betsy Plum, Executive Director of the Riders Alliance.

"As the impact of coronavirus reverberates well past our city's peak, it's important to continue physical distancing and mask compliance. To help make distancing easier, we're glad to see DOT and City Hall continue to roll out Open Streets that allow New Yorkers to safely enjoy the outdoors protected from cars. Open Streets, new bus and bike lanes, and outdoor dining are critical tools to keep New Yorkers safe and moving as we reopen our city,” said Nick Sifuentes, Executive Director, Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

“We applaud the NYC Department of Transportation for moving forward on this plan and focusing more attention to neighborhoods most affected by COVID. More open streets and protected bicycle lanes will provide needed public space and safer, healthy transportation options and help New Yorkers get outside safely during the summer months. We hope the city will use our vision for a connected, arterial Five Borough Bikeway to continue to expand protected cycling, during COVID recovery and in the longer term,” said Tom Wright, CEO and President of Regional Plan Association.

In April, the Mayor and Council Speaker Corey Johnson announced that 40 miles of streets citywide would be opened by the end of May to allow greater social distancing, with a plan to expand to a total of 100 miles in the weeks and months ahead. The City exceeded its 40-mile target last month.

Under Open Streets, pedestrians and cyclists are free to use the roadbed of each street. No through traffic is permitted, with remaining vehicle traffic limited to local deliveries, pick-ups/drop-offs, necessary city service, utility, and emergency vehicles only. Such drivers are alerted to be hyper-vigilant and to drive at 5 MPH along these routes. Open streets hours will be from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM but may vary slightly depending on staff availability.

Organizations wishing to have other New York City streets considered for the Open Streets program should reach out to fill out an online survey. More information is available at nyc.gov/openstreets.

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