A few more locations were blocked off this weekend to give people space to walk in the street without fear of being hit by vehicles. The city has gradually been opening up streets so people can get outside and have enough room to keep at least six feet away from everyone else. In total, the city has added 45 miles of open streets.
The new local open streets include 103rd Street between Riverside Drive and Broadway. Two spots in Morningside Heights are also open — Morningside Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and 116th Street, and 114th Street between Manhattan Avenue and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Vehicle traffic is limited to local deliveries, pick-ups/drop-offs, necessary city service vehicles, utility vehicles and emergency vehicles.
Previously, West End Avenue was closed to traffic from 87th to 96th Streets, and 75th Street was closed from Broadway to Riverside Drive. Those stretches remain closed to traffic.
Wondering how/why 75th Street by Broadway was selected?
Why right by food stores/shopping – Fairway and Citarella?
Seems like makes things difficult for food delivery trucks and workers…
It’s great for people like me who need to go shopping on foot and carry back two weeks worth of bulky groceries.
I’d amend the headline from “More Local Streets Closed to Traffic”
to “More Local Streets Open to Neighbors and Pedestrians”
I welcome this change in perspective!
Everyone’s a critic.
They should make this permanent. Too much traffic and congestion on the streets these days.
Hooray! Still loving West End and tried out 103rd over the weekend. This is great!
Madness. Meanwhile, Corey Johnson rides around in his SUV.
Corey just bought a bicycle. https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2020/05/05/coreys-got-a-bike-speaker-has-talked-the-talk-and-is-now-riding-the-ride/
I visited the “open streets” on WEA yesterday. I observed many, many people not wearing masks (or just having them on the chin, or hanging from one ear, etc.) and not making any attempt to avoid others, even though, in a situation of masked vs unmasked approaching within 6 feet, the unmasked person should be the one to step aside, since the masked person already is following the rules. Eventually I gave up and left. Apparently the open streets are only for the selfish. I am puzzled why the city wants to reward people who don’t care about their communities.
There should be entry checkpoints for safe streets and parks. No mask, no entry.
I’m sorry you experienced that, but don’t give the Open Streets a bad name. There are plenty of us observing the rules and wearing masks. Yes, those without masks should make an effort to get out of your way, but if they don’t, it’s a pretty big street, so you should be able to stay away from people.
It’s been a great outlet for many of us. I take 2-3 walks on WEA (yes, while wearing a mask covering my nose and mouth) everyday!
This is amazing! I love open streets and hope they are a feature of the neighborhood after this madness ends. #betterdaysareonthereway
My husband and I have been walking 96th to 87th and back every day. People are courteous, maintaining social distance. Kids are having a ball scootering, skateboarding, drawing on West End Ave. with chalk. Sure, there are stupid people without masks, but they are very small in number compared to our smart neighbors. I wish they’d keep these blocks closed to traffic forever!
Johnny, so glad you are loving and using the Open Streets along WEA. I think they are awesome too and have been enjoying them with my daughter and puppy. It’s delightful to see people out on the street – talking to their neighbors at a distance, kids learning to ride a bike, speed walkers. The delivery trucks have figured it out just fine and locals can access whatever they need by car (at slow speeds). If you want to see this extended down to 72nd, consider submitting an application here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/nycopenstreetscommunityrequest
Thanks, Lisa. I wholeheartedly agree! That sounds like a great idea. I will fill out the petition.
They are making it hard on people with disabilities we need cars to pick us up at our homes and have food delivered. Why can’t people enjoy the sidewalks ?
Cars are still able to get through for these types of reasons.
I’ve seen no issues with multiple Uber’s, taxis and fedex workers getting around the barricades and getting to local addresses. Perhaps you just had a lazy driver.
At 75th street and WEA there are two barricades stretched across the entire street entrance so in order for a car to enter 75th someone needs to physically move one of the barriers.
This is why I suggest one barrier which will serve the purpose. Thanks.
Agreed. I was unable to get to the hospital for chemo therapy last week since no cab/uber/etc would drive get out of the car to move the barricades. They just cancel the trip. Chemo makes a person weak so I need a car service option.
I suggest one barricade instead of two. That will clearly mark that the street is only open for local traffic and 5MPH The signs on the barricades are quite clear about local traffic only and one barricade should be sufficient to discourage through traffic.
These traffic-closed streets are just a drop in the bucket. It’s past time to eliminate all vehicular traffic and party like it’s 1910. Use the subways, buses, and ride shares that are so beloved.
Maybe this isn’t the best time for folks to be using mass transit if they don’t need to?
The current vehicular street closures are just a drop in the bucket. It’s past time to ban cars from all of Manhattan and party like it’s 1910. Enjoy the subways, buses, and rideshares.
The current vehicular street closings are a drop in the bucket. Close all of Manhattan to cars and party like it’s 1910. Enjoy the subways, buses, and rideshares.
Morningside Avenue and 114th b/t FDB and Manhattan are not in Morningside Heights, they are in Harlem. (Morningside Drive, to the west of Morningside Park, is in Morningside Heights; Morningside Avenue, to the east of the park, is not.) Also, Morningside Avenue and Manhattan Avenue are parallel at 116th, so think you must mean 116th between Manhattan and Morningside Avenue.