MAYOR DE BLASIO ADDS 12 MORE MILES OF OPEN STREETS AND NINE MILES OF NEW TEMPORARY PROTECTED BIKE LANES: Combined 21 New Miles Brings City Total to 30 Miles of Open Streets Since End of April

USANEWSONLINE.COM DESK, NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday 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^th. 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^th.

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

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 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM 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:

“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 don’t 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’ve 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’s 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’re 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 [email protected] or fill out an online survey. More information is available at nyc.gov/openstreets. Press Release.