Image Credit: New York City Department of Transportation

DOT encourages all types of partners to apply for the Open Streets program. On December 9, 2021, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the opening of applications for the 2022 Open Streets and Public Spaces Programming.  (more…)

An Open Street in Morris Park, Bronx last year. Temporarily restricting vehicular access provided pedestrians with places to walk, cyclists to move, and children to play. Image Credit: CityLand

The program began as a way to provide more public space during the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 29, 2021, the City Council voted to pass Int. 1933-A, a bill to make a permanent Open Streets program. The Open Streets program closes streets for a given time period to provide pedestrians and cyclists with open street space free of vehicular traffic.  (more…)

The Open Streets initiative provides more open space for pedestrians by limiting vehicular traffic. Image Credit: CityLand

The Open Streets and the new Play Streets initiatives encourage New Yorkers to go outside. On July 24, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Play Streets, an initiative provided by the City, the Fresh Air Fund, Building Healthy Communities, and the Police Athletic League to provide children with fun, socially-distant outdoor activities on twelve Open Streets throughout the City. The Open Streets initiative provides more outdoor space for pedestrians and cyclists by limiting vehicular traffic on specified streets. Mayor de Blasio also announced some streets that will be added and removed from the Open Streets program. (more…)

Image Credit: NYC DOT.

The public engagement process will continue into the new year. On November 18, 2021, the de Blasio administration announced the schedule for the Permanent Open Restaurant Program public engagement process. The proposed permanent open restaurant program will establish a new streamlined program for the creation, management and enforcement of sidewalk and roadway cafes operated by the Department of Transportation. (more…)

Image Credit: NYC DOT.

The zoning text amendment now moves on to City Council for approval. On November 15, 2021, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the Permanent Open Restaurants Program zoning text amendment in a special public hearing. The proposed Permanent Open Restaurants program will transfer the control of sidewalk cafes to the Department of Transportation from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (formerly Consumer Affairs) and aims to create a more streamlined approval process for sidewalk cafes.  (more…)