NEW YORK CITY ADDS PLAY STREETS TO NATION-LEADING OPEN STREETS INITIATIVE

City announces new Open Streets while removing some locations in coordination with community partners and local elected officials

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced Play Streets, a new initiative to provide families with safe, structured activities on 12 Open Streets during weekdays, in partnership with the Fresh Air Fund, Building Healthy Communities and the Police Athletic League. The Administration is also continuing the expansion of its nation-leading Open Streets program, moving the City further toward the goal of 100 miles laid out in late April, while removing some underused locations in coordination with local elected officials and community partners.

 

“Young people deserve the chance to play freely in their neighborhoods while staying safe from COVID-19, and Play Streets will go a long way toward easing the burden of a summer unlike any other,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Rebuilding a fairer and better city means using our urban landscape creatively, and I’m proud to build on the success of our Open Streets program by finding exciting and productive uses for city streets.”

 

At Play Streets locations, children will participate in independent crafting and art projects that include making kaleidoscopes, birdhouses, rhythm drums, and cloud climbers. Giant board games such as Connect 4 and Jenga will also be available. Sports drills will include basketball, frisbee, softball, Wiffle ball, kickball, and laser tag. Reading corners, dance classes, cardio and yoga exercises will also be provided. Street Lab, an NYC-based nonprofit that creates outdoor furniture and programming for public space, is providing 160 custom benches, and a new no-touch obstacle course called PLAY NYC. All programming is creatively designed to meet social distancing guidelines.

 

“As Open Streets continues to grow, providing New Yorkers with space to walk, bike, cool off, and enjoy outdoor dining, we are now proud to roll out Play Streets for children and their families in some of the City’s most COVID-impacted neighborhoods,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “Thanks to Mayor de Blasio for his leadership and to our Play Streets partners, including the Fresh Air Fund, Building Healthy Communities, the Police Athletic League and the Central Family Life Center.”

 

“Streets are meant to connect people to each other. The expansion of Open Streets demonstrates how we can continue to reimagine and transform our roads to better serve New Yorkers, keep our air cleaner with less polluting vehicles, and stay safer during the summer heat waves,” said Mark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “The program announced today allows our young people to reengage the outdoors, their neighborhoods, and their communities.”

 

“The global pandemic has hit working families of color disproportionately hard, and our kids still need safe, active spaces for play within their communities,” said Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety Executive Director Renita Francois. “We’re grateful to Mayor de Blasio, the Department of Transportation, the Police Athletic League, and the Fresh Air Fund for their partnership in opening our streets for young New Yorkers to enjoy their neighborhoods this summer.”

 

Play Streets locations will launch on a rolling basis beginning next week and will operate Monday through Friday through September 4^th. Hours vary by location, but will generally be from 10 AM to 5 PM and include streets adjacent to NYCHA developments as part of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety. Vehicles are not permitted to enter the streets during the hours of the full street closure. Organizing Partners will be responsible for setting up barricades and posting signage, as well as restoring the Open Street condition at the end of their programming. They will also post No Parking signage with days and times ahead of starting their activations.   

  

Play Streets locations include:

 

Neighborhood	Boro	Street	From	To	Partner	Start Date	End Date	Days	Times
Sunset Park	BK	6th Ave	44th St	45th St	Fresh Air Fund	8/5/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Crown Heights	BK	Park Pl	New York Ave	Kingston Ave	Fresh Air Fund	8/3/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Brownsville	BK	Blake Ave	Powell St	Mother Gaston Blvd	PAL	7/27/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	12pm - 5pm
Bushwick	BK	Humboldt St	Moore St	Varet St	PAL	7/27/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	12pm - 5pm
Quarry Ballfields/Belmont	BX	Oak Tree Pl	Hughes Ave	Quarry Rd	Fresh Air Fund	8/3/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Mt. Eden / Highbridge	BX	Cromwell Ave	McClellan St	Jerome Ave	Fresh Air Fund	8/3/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Harlem	MN	150th St	St. Nicholas Pl	Edgecombe Ave	Fresh Air Fund	8/5/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Harlem	MN	129th St	Adam Clayton Powell Blvd	Frederick Douglas Blvd	PAL	7/27/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	12pm - 5pm
Jackson Heights/Corona	QN	34th Ave	72nd St	74th St	Fresh Air Fund	7/30/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Jackson Heights/Corona	QN	34th Ave	79th St	80th St	Fresh Air Fund	7/30/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Jackson Heights/Corona	QN	34th Ave	92nd St	94th St	Fresh Air Fund	7/30/20	9/4/20	M,T,W,Th	10am -4pm
Stapleton	SI	Wright St	Canal St	Thompson St	The Central Family Life Center	8/7/20	9/4/20	F	12pm -4pm

 

Open Streets will be added in:

 

Local Partner Management
Partner	Boro	Street	From	To	Mileage
Good Shepherd Services	BK	Wolcott St	Conover St	Van Brunt St	0.09
700 Jefferson Avenue Block Association	BK	Jefferson Ave	Patchen Ave	Malcolm X Blvd	0.15
Judson Memorial Church	MN	Thompson Street	West 3rd St	Washington Sq South	0.05
LES BID	MN	Broome St	Allen St	Ludlow St	0.06
31st Ave Open Street Collective	QN	31st Ave	31st St	36th St	0.25
Rockrose	QN	Dutch Kills	Jackson Ave	Sunnyside Yards	0.09
39th Ave Open Street Coalition	QN	47th St	39th Ave	Skillman Ave	0.19
39th Ave Open Street Coalition	QN	49th St	39th Ave	Skillman Ave	0.19
Streets Lab	SI	Wright St	Canal St	Thompson St	0.04
TOTAL					1.11
Local Precinct Management
Neighborhood	Boro	Street	From	To	Mileage
Claremont	BX	169th St	3rd Ave	Webster Ave	0.19
West Village	MN	Jane St	Hudson St	8th Ave	0.07
UES	MN	East 90th St	5th Ave	Madison Ave	0.10
Port Richmond	SI	Henderson Ave	Broadway	Alaska St	0.16
Port Richmond	SI	New St	Cottage Pl	Jewett Ave	0.09
TOTAL					0.61
TOTAL NEW OPEN STREETS					1.72

 

The following streets will be removed from the Open Streets program, and returned to normal vehicle traffic:

  

Boro	Street	From	To	Mileage
BX	Louis Nine Blvd	Intervale Ave	Southern Blvd	0.13
BK	Prospect Park West	Garfield Pl	3rd St	0.15
BK	Parkside Ave	Park Circle	Ocean Ave	0.56
BK	East 7th Street	Caton St	Ditmas Ave	0.78
MN	29th St	Broadway	Madison Ave	0.19
QN	Center Blvd	57th Ave	Borden Ave	0.23
QN	27 St	43rd Ave	Queens Plaza North	0.16
QN	85 St	25th Ave	30th Ave	0.13
TOTAL				2.77

Under Open Streets, pedestrians and cyclists are free to use the roadbed of each street. No through traffic is permitted, with remaining vehicle traffic limited to local deliveries, pick-ups/drop-offs, necessary city service, utility, and emergency vehicles only. Such drivers are alerted to be hyper-vigilant and to drive at 5 MPH along these routes. Regular Open Streets operate from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with timing varying slightly depending on staff availability. 

 

If you have questions about Open Streets or would like to request an Open Street in your community, please contact your NYC DOT Borough Commissioner's office.

 

“Children in New York City need to be able to play outside in safe spaces now more than ever. The Fresh Air Fund is excited to serve children citywide as part of the new Open Streets: Play Streets program,” said Fatima Shama, executive director of The Fresh Air Fund.  “On open streets across the city, Fresh Air Summer Spaces will provide opportunities for art, movement and recreation activities that will have children engaged within their communities, following all physical-distancing guidelines, and experiencing some of the joys of summer amid these challenging times.”

 

“This is a unique moment to stand up for NYC kids, giving them a place to play and learn, while also expanding our city’s sense of what’s possible for streets and public space,” said Leslie Davol, Executive Director of Street Lab. “We’re all in, and we’re proud to play a role in supporting play streets.”

 

“The Police Athletic League is grateful for the City's support in allowing us to provide safe recreational activities for youth this summer.  PAL feels it is important to provide safe recreational options for young people, and our Play Street model allows us to do that. Health and safety for our participants and staff is our highest priority. We are looking forward to serving young people this summer,” said Frederick J. Watts, Executive Director of the Police Athletic League.