Queens Council Member Daniel Dromm and DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg at 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, which is part of the open streets initiative (DOT Twitter)
May 22, 2020 By Allie Griffin
More Queens streets will be turned over to pedestrians and cyclists beginning tomorrow, as the city expands its open streets initiative during the coronavirus pandemic.
The new streets announced today put New York City above its goal of closing 40 miles to car traffic by the end of May, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
“New Yorkers deserve space to safely enjoy the outdoors in their own neighborhoods,” de Blasio said in a statement. “Thanks to hard work from a host of City agencies, we’ve beaten our Open Streets goal for this month – and made our city a national leader in expanding public space as we fight COVID-19.”
Over the course of the month, the city has rolled out multiple waves of street openings as part of the initiative, first announced on April 27.
De Blasio hopes to open 100 miles of city streets for pedestrian and cyclists’ exclusive use over the course of the pandemic.
All open street locations can be found on the Department of Transportation website.
The purpose is to provide more outdoor space for New Yorkers looking to get some fresh air amid stay-at-home orders. The additional mileage of open space will make it easier for people to follow social distancing rules as they venture outside to enjoy the warm weather.
Several streets in Queens were announced today and will close to traffic daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. beginning tomorrow.
The streets include:
120th Street between 94th Avenue and Liberty Avenue in South Richmond Hill
99th Street between Horace Harding and 66th Avenue in Rego Park
50th Avenue between 48th Street and 44th Street in Sunnyside
66th Road between 110th Street and Grand Central Parkway in Forest Hills
Ascan Avenue between Queens Boulevard and Austin Street in Forest Hills
60th Street between Laurel Hill Boulevard and 47th Avenue in Maspeth
107th Avenue between 159th Street and 160th Street in Jamaica
108th Avenue between 159th Street and 160th Street in Jamaica
159th Street between 108th Avenue and 109th Avenue in Jamaica
109th Avenue between 159th Street and 160th Street in Jamaica
Officers from local police precincts will monitor the open streets.
Several streets adjacent to Queens parks will also close to traffic, beginning tomorrow including:
Center Boulevard between 57th Avenue and Borden Avenue near Hunters Point Park in Long Island City
169th Street between Northern Boulevard and 43rd Avenue near Plaut Triangle in Flushing
85th Street between 25th Avenue and 30th Avenue near Gorman Playground in East Elmhurst
68th Road between 108th Street and Yellowstone Boulevard near Yellowstone Park in Forest Hills
Dieterle Crescent between Alderton Street and 65th Drive near Painter’s Playground in Rego Park
Barron Street between 116th Avenue and Foch Boulevard near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica
Lakeview Boulevard East between 118th Avenue and 122nd Avenue near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica
155th Street between 119th Avenue and 125th Avenue near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica
Lakeview Lane between 122nd Avenue and Baisley Boulevard near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica
122nd Avenue between Lakeview Boulevard East and Lakeview Lane near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica
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3 Comments
This is a disgrace. The messaging from DeBlasio is to shelter in place leaving only for exercise and essential errands like groceries and medicine. No we can wander the streets like it was the Serengeti. Summer streets pandemic style. Why not reopen the city since everything but houses of worship and small businesses are forced to remain closed?Bars are serving blitzed alcoholics on the sidewalks like it was the end of prohibition. Enough already. The curve has been flattened. His leadership has been atrocious and no one questions the stupidity of this?
None in Astoria?
Why did it take a pandemic to give our streets back to pedestrians?