12 More Miles Of Open Streets & 9 Miles Of New Temporary Protected Bike Lanes

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Published on May 13, 2020, 12:22 pm
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Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today the City will open 12 more miles of streets and an additional nine new miles of temporary protected bike lanes to pedestrians and cyclists starting tomorrow, May 14, 2020. The new Open Streets and bike lanes will bring New York City’s total to 30 miles of streets since the program was announced on April 27, 2020.

Nearly eight miles of the new open streets will be placed in neighborhoods in every borough and managed by local precincts; 1.35 miles, in three boroughs, will be managed by Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and community organizations; and another 2.83 miles will be adjacent to parks.

The nine new miles of bike corridors will be phased in over several weeks using barrels, signage, and other barriers, with a goal of creating critical connectors from already-established protected lanes.

“Now that warmer weather has arrived, New Yorkers will need more options to enjoy the outdoors at a safe, social distance,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We’re grateful to all our local partners, and we believe new bike lanes will lay the groundwork for a cycling surge in the months and years to come.”

Local Partner Management

PartnerBoroughStreetFromToMileageNotes
Sunnyside ShinesQN46th StreetQueens BoulevardGreenpoint Avenue0.0508:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m. Sat-Sun
Park Slope 5th Ave BIDBK4th Street5th Avenue4th Avevenue0.0710:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m. all days
Flatbush Development CorporationBKNewkirk AvenueConey Island AvenueE. 17th Street0.3403:00 p.m. – 07:00 p.m. Tues and Thurs
Pine Box Rock Shop/BushwickBKGrattan StreetMorgan AvenueBogart Street0.0810:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m. Wed-Sun
Concrete Safaris/HarlemMN115th StreetPark Avenue3rd Avenue0.1802:00 p.m. – 05:30 p.m. weekdays
Meatpacking BIDMN13th Street9th AvenueWashington Street0.1308:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m. all days
Meatpacking BIDMN17th Street10th Avenue8th Avenue0.3308:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m. all days
Meatpacking BIDMNLittle W 129th AvenueWashington Street0.0908:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m. all days
Hudson Yards/HK AllianceMNHudson Boulevard East35th Street36th Street0.0408:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m. all days
Hudson Yards/HK AllianceMNHudson Boulevard West35th Street36th Street0.0408:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m. all days
Total mileage1.35
Local PrecinctManagement
NeighborhoodBoroughStreetFromToMileage
KingsbridgeBXW. 238th StreetTibbett Avenue Irwin Avenue0.05
Mott HavenBX140th StreetBrook AvenueWillis Avenue0.02
Jackson HeightsQN34th Avenue78th StreetJunction Boulevard0.89
SunnysideQNSkillman Avenue39th Place43rd Street0.19
SunnysideQn39th AvenueWoodside AveBarnett Avenue0.43
LICQN5th Street46th Avenue49th Avenue0.28
LICQN27th StreetHunter StreetQueens Plaza S.0.16
FlushingQNRoosevelt Avenue155th StreetNorthern Boulevard0.09
FlushingQNPeck Avenue137th StreetMain0.10
Crown HeightsBKProspect PlNew York AvenueBrooklyn Avenue0.14
Sunset ParkBK6th Ave44th Street51st Street0.34
Carroll GardensBK1st PlSmith StreetHenry Street0.30
Carroll GardensBK2nd PlSmith StreetHenry Street0.30
Carroll GardensBK4th PlaceSmith StreetHenry Street0.30
WilliamsburgBKBerry StreetN. 12th StreetBroadway0.90
Brooklyn HeightsBKJoralemon StreetHicks StreetFurman Street0.14
Boerum HillBKSt. Marks Place3rd Avenue4th Avenue0.13
KensingtonBKE. 7th StreetCaton AvenueDitmas Avenue0.78
Clinton HillBKHall StreetPark AvenueMyrtle Avenue0.15
Fort GreeneBKS. Portland AvenueS. Elliot StreetDekalb Avenue0.41
Upper West SideMNWest End Avenue87th Street96th Street0.44
Upper West SideMN75th StreetBroadwayRiverside Drive0.20
HarlemMN114th StreetManhattan AvenueFrederick Douglass Boulevard0.08
Morris ParkBXRhinelander AvenueWilliamsbridge RoadBronxdale Avenue0.50
Fordham HeightsBXCreston AvenueFordham RoadKingsbridge Road0.31
Total mileage7.63
Adjacent Park Roads
Park / NeighborhoodBoroughStreetFromToMileage
Quarry Ballfields / BelmontBXOak Tree PlaceHughes AvenueQuarry Pl0.14
River Park / West Farms BXBoston Road180th StreetBronx Park S0.10
Bronx Park SouthBoston RoadBryant Avenue0.05
St. Mary’s Park / South BronxBXJackson Avenue143rd Street147th St0.21
McCarren Park / GreenpointBKNassauBanker StreetLorimer St0.14
Maria Hernandez Park / BushwickBKSuydam StreetKnickerbocker AvenueIrving Ave0.13
Cooper Park / E. WilliamsburgBKSharon StreetMorgan AvenueOlive St0.16
Sternberg Park / BushwickBKLeonard StreetMontrose AvenueBoerum St0.10
Korean War Veterans Plaza / Brooklyn HeightsBKCadman Plaza EastJohnson StreetTillary St0.07
Dome Playground / KensingtonBK38th StreetDahill Road15th Ave0.37
Cobble Hill Park / Cobble HillBKCongress StreetClinton StreetHenry St0.10
Jackie Robinson Park / Hamilton HeightsMNEdgecombe AvenueSt. Nicholas Place145th St0.51
Claremont Park / ClaremontBXClay Avenue173rd StreetClaremont Parkway0.25
North Shore Esplande Park / St. GeorgeSIBank StreetJersey StreetParking Garage Driveway0.50
Total mileage2.83

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. 

Pedestrians and cyclists can use the roadbed of each open 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 08:00 a.m. to 08:00 p.m. but may vary slightly depending on staff availability.

The City will use barrels, signage, and other barriers to create temporary dedicated cycling space that builds on this March’s addition of lanes on a section of Manhattan’s 2nd Avenue and on Smith Street in Brooklyn. Crews will begin Thursday on lower Broadway in Manhattan from Barclay Street to Morris Street. The lanes announced today may be phased into permanent lanes as city resources come back online and as DOT gathers additional feedback from affected community boards and elected officials.

Other protected bike lanes, to be installed on a rolling basis over the next two weeks, include:

BoroStreetFromToMileage
QueensCrescent StQueens Plaza NHoyt Ave N.98
ManhattanBroadwayBarclay StMorris St.50
Manhattan38th Street/39th Street1st Ave11th Ave3.9
Brooklyn4th Ave1st StFlatbush Ave1.4
BrooklynAshland Pl/Navy StHanson PlSands St1.1
BrooklynFlatbush AveGrand Army PlazaOcean Ave1.3
Total mileage   9.18

“As we continue our efforts to stop the spread of CoViD-19, we are also working to help New Yorkers travel more safely by bringing new temporary bike lanes and open streets to more neighborhoods, including the South Bronx, Upper Manhattan, Bushwick and Kensington,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We thank the NYPD and all the BIDs and other community organizations that are stepping up to help us expand this important initiative. As we continue to announce more of these projects in the coming weeks, we especially want to hear from residents of neighborhoods around the five boroughs who want open streets but may not have formal community partners to help with implementation.”

“New York City residents have adjusted their lives in order to protect their health and safety during CoViD19. Open streets is a public health issue that is desperately needed now more than ever during CoViD19. This measure will help residents in North Brooklyn get the exercise and mental health recharge they need while doing so at a social distance. I applaud Mayor de Blasio for taking swift action to implement open streets in my district which will go a long way to promote the health and welfare of North Brooklyn residents,” said Assembly Member Joseph R. Lentol.

“The success of the open streets program is growing, not only as an opportunity for New Yorkers to safely and responsibly enjoy the warmer weather, but also as a lifeline for those who do not have the adequate space to social distance at home. With more people reimagining transportation and shared streets, I commend the City for introducing more protected bike lanes in Lower Manhattan. I look forward to this program growing and reaching even more communities in District 1,” said Council Member Margaret Chin.

“As we look towards a thoughtful recovery, open streets and spaces to facilitate safe social distancing continue to be critically important. I thank the Mayor for dedicating open streets in the Northwest Bronx and commend community organizations and BIDs for their work to support this initiative. I look forward to the continued expansion of this program prioritizing our hardest-hit communities and focusing on equitable implementation throughout the City,” said Council Member Andrew Cohen. 

“These temporary open streets are a great opportunity to provide additional open space for pedestrians and bicyclists so they can maintain social distance while enjoying the outdoors,” said Council Member Peter Koo.

“As the weather gets warmer and the weeks of social distancing stretch longer, more open space and more commuting options are critical to helping New Yorkers stay healthy. Already I have seen how thrilled children in our neighborhoods have been to have a little extra space to play, and commuters and recreational cyclists will be glad for additional routes with protection from nearby traffic. I’m grateful to the Administration and the DOT for working to get these programs running across our city, and hope to continue working with you to ensure equitable citywide implementation that creates more open space and safer transit options in all neighborhoods, especially those that have been hardest hit by the health and economic impacts of the pandemic,” said Council Member Brad Lander.

“I am heartened to see the open streets project expanding throughout the city and here in the 33rd District. These open streets and bike lanes will provide much needed pedestrian space and travel options as the city moves into the summer months while continuing to stay at home. We must continue to expand this initiative with the help of our community partners. We are asking so much of New Yorkers. Safe spaces for travel and recreation are a necessary accommodation,” said Council Member Stephen Levin.

“With warmer weather on the horizon, more of our New Yorkers will be bound for recreation in our parks and green spaces. Creating a temporary Open Street on Roosevelt Avenue between Northern Boulevard and 155th Street will enable residents to safely enjoy sunnier days while allowing for greater social distancing, a critical component to the City’s CoViD-19 response,” said Council Member Paul A. Vallone.

“As the weather gets warmer and more people seek the outdoors, appropriate social distancing is literally a matter of life or death,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. “Creating more open spaces and closing these streets for pedestrians enables a healthy environment for people to get exercise while also keeping their distance from others. I am pleased to see so many sites chosen in the district. I am also thrilled with the Mayor’s announcement of a protected bike lane on Crescent Street, which I believe will save lives and go a long way towards making our environment more sustainable by creating more transportation options.”

“We’re pleased to see more progress toward the mayor’s ambitious goal of 100 miles of open streets,” said Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris. “Repurposing street space once set aside for cars will make it possible for New Yorkers to make essential trips, abide by physical distancing guidelines, and travel safely by bicycle.”

“It is fantastic to see New York’s Open Streets program shift into high gear with today’s announcement. Bike New York is especially excited about the new bike lane connections. Key links like Crescent Street to the Queensboro Bridge and connection of Brooklyn’s 4th Avenue to Sands Street and the Manhattan Bridge will show the promise of a broad network of protected bike routes. Congratulations and thanks to Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg and their teams for rolling out such an extensive program so quickly,” said Jon Orcutt, Bike New York advocacy director.

“We are very pleased to see the city’s Open Streets effort expanding quickly, and we’re hopeful that the pace will continue in the coming weeks. Giving New Yorkers space to breathe will be critical to the recovery effort. These newly announced bike lane segments will help expand and close gaps in the bike network that will be enormously important as the city gradually reopens, and as people begin commuting again. We’d urge that all of these temporary lanes be made permanent as soon as that’s possible. Kudos to Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg and her team for putting this plan into action,” said Eric McClure, Executive Director, StreetsPAC.

“We applaud the Mayor for increasing the number of open streets to thirty miles! We are just under one-third of the one hundred miles of open space the Mayor promised New Yorkers. We hope communities embrace the expanse and magic of streets prioritized for our children, seniors, families, and individuals. We look forward to working with city agencies, community organizations, and advocacy groups to bring streets prioritized for people to low-income neighborhoods, areas that are transportation deserts, and to areas where a neighborhood park is beyond a walkable distance. Everyone deserves an open public space outside their front door to stretch, stride, breathe, and perhaps even to ride!” said Angela Azzolino, Executive Director, Get Women Cycling.

“We are grateful to the mayor, DOT, Speaker Johnson and the NYPD for the continued expansion of the protected bike lane network, and open streets throughout the city. This is a proactive step not only to protect pedestrians, but also to prioritize healthy choices.  When our kids inevitable remember this time, they will be able to remember this remarkable transformation which for many, will be their first trips out of their homes in more than 2 months. We look forward to supporting these measures as they grow and expand to meet the critical need for space in all neighborhoods.  This epic expansion of public space will become engrained in the very fabric of the city our children inherit,” said Cristina Furlong, Co-Founder, Make Queens Safer.

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

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