West Side Rag
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART & CULTURE
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • ABOUT US
    • OUR STORY
    • CONTRIBUTORS
    • CONTACT
West Side Rag
No Result
View All Result
SUPPORT THE RAG

Search the site

No Result
View All Result
Get WSR FREE in your inbox
SUPPORT THE RAG

Cooling Off on Columbus Avenue Open Streets

September 3, 2023 | 4:03 PM
in OUTDOORS, REAL ESTATE
13
Sunday, September 3rd. Photograph by Dan Tanner.
Share this article:
SUPPORT THE RAG
guest

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

13 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Mark Moore
Mark Moore
1 year ago

Isn’t that beautiful.

5
Reply
Eyes On The Street👀
Eyes On The Street👀
1 year ago

It was actually very boring. It wasn’t big attendance today at all, pretty sad. They open the streets to the traffic about 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Nobody was on the streets.

5
Reply
Amanda
Amanda
1 year ago
Reply to  Eyes On The Street👀

SAME! We were so sad. Not what it usually is for sure

1
Reply
UWS Dad
UWS Dad
1 year ago
Reply to  Eyes On The Street👀

It was a bit slow to get going probably due to the heat, but I was there with my kids in the afternoon until the street was shut down at 7pm and it was pretty full.

2
Reply
Eyes On The Street👀
Eyes On The Street👀
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS Dad

I don’t understand what you’re talking about ?
The street was wide open at 3 PM for traffic!
The street was not shut down at 7 PM at night. I was out there in the street was open at 3 PM for traffic.!

0
Reply
Neighbor
Neighbor
1 year ago
Reply to  Eyes On The Street👀

Were you on Columbus Ave? 68th to 77th Streets were definitely closed to traffic until 7pm! Or maybe you were on Columbus Ave further north?

1
Reply
Juan
Juan
1 year ago

Great! Streets are shut down, many people are inconvenienced, there is a ton of traffic on adjacent roads so a handful of people can frolic in the streets. That makes a ton of sense. But the ridiculously stubborn “open streets” people can pat themselves on the back because they stuck it to the rest of us.

17
Reply
Richard
Richard
1 year ago
Reply to  Juan

I have to say I agree. And hey, don’t get me wrong; I LOVE “Summer Streets,” where the city closes Park Avenue to traffic for three Saturdays in August so that cyclists and pedestrians can have fun just enjoying Park Avenue. Thing is, there’s a clear and obvious, widely shared JOY over Summer Streets. But Columbus Avenue “Open Streets”? Not so much. A few like it, but no, there’s not that widespread fun that I’m sure the organizers anticipated. It just… doesn’t work.

3
Reply
MSA
MSA
1 year ago

A hot day and people who needed to use the M7 or M11 were unpleasantly surprised to find no bus.
And a real hardship for people with mobility issues.

There are parks and playgrounds with sprinklers very close by.
This is an affluent neighborhood where people have multiple options.

Not ok to impact essential mass transit for brunch, sprinklers and dog meet-ups.
Close a side street if needed.

13
Reply
Will
Will
1 year ago
Reply to  MSA

It’s pretty ignorant to assume everyone who lives in the neighborhood is affluent.

4
Reply
Juan
Juan
1 year ago
Reply to  Will

Even if you are right, does that discount the rest of the post which is spot on? I love the typical UWS know-it-all nit-picker who likes to show how smart they are by changing the narrative by offering their profound interpretation of a few words of a very thoughtful post.

How do you feel about open/closed streets?

SMDH.

1
Reply
MaryC
MaryC
1 year ago
Reply to  Will

Agreed. But the non affluent still have access to parks and playgrounds. And they probably need access to buses even more that those who can afford taxis and Uber

4
Reply
MSA
MSA
1 year ago
Reply to  Will

Hey Will,
Actually I’ve lived here my whole life so am pretty clear about the demographics.
BTW my family is not rich.

At this point, the families with little kids who live a block or two away from Columbus “open streets” are not poor – they don’t need the open hydrant on Columbus.

But there are still non-rich people who need bus access – workers, residents etc.

3
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

More Than 100-Year-Old Upper West Side Building Slated for Demolition
NEWS

New 12-Story Building Slated for Busy Upper West Side Block: Permits Show

May 14, 2025 | 11:33 AM
WESTSIDE MARKET ADDS A ‘MAN AISLE,’ RESPONDING TO STUPIDITY OF MALE SPECIES
NEWS

Popular Grocer Purchases Large UWS Storefront Across the Street from Zabar’s: Report

May 13, 2025 | 2:25 PM
Previous Post

Kitty Trapped in AT&T Store for a Month Rescued and Adopted

Next Post

Happy Labor Day

this week's events image
Next Post
Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day

Free Open-Air Viewing of U.S. Open on the UWS

Free Open-Air Viewing of U.S. Open on the UWS

With COVID Surging, Here’s What You Need to Know About Tests, Treatments and Vaccines

With COVID Surging, Here’s What You Need to Know About Tests, Treatments and Vaccines

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • NEWSLETTER
  • WSR MERCH!
  • ADVERTISE
  • EVENTS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • SITE MAP
Site design by RLDGROUP

© 2025 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TOP NEWS
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART & CULTURE
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • ABOUT
    • OUR STORY
    • CONTRIBUTORS
    • CONTACT US
  • WSR SHOP

© 2025 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.