Template:NYCDOT Open Streets Summary
New York City Open Streets Program[edit]
Since April 2020, the New York City Department of Transportation has operated an Open Streets program to create more public space across the city for communities to activate and benefit from. The program was made permanent on May 13, 2021 when Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Local Law Intro 1933-A, first introduced by Council Member Carlina Rivera on April 22, 2020, into law. The law defined the term "Open Street" as "a street or segment of a street designated by the department as such, on which motor vehicle access is controlled by barriers and signage or other traffic calming measures, and on which priority is given to pedestrians, individuals using bicycles, and other non-vehicular street users."
During 2023 there were 375 locations identified by the NYC DOT as Open Street sites. The full public dataset can be viewed on the NYC OpenData portal.
From NYC DOT's Open Streets site:
New York City’s Open Streets program transforms streets into public spaces open to all. These transformations allow for a range of activities that promote economic development, support schools, and provide new ways for New Yorkers to enjoy cultural programming and build community.
The NYC DOT has continued to study the effects of the Open Streets program over time, producing reports such as "Streets for Recovery: The Economic Benefits of the NYC Open Streets Program" in October 2022. According to a summary of the report in the DOT's press release "...business at restaurants and bars on car-free Open Streets far outpaced nearby corridors."