De Blasio Announces Additional 12 Miles Of Open Streets And 9 Miles Of Temporary Bike Lanes
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an additional 12 miles of open streets to help with social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.
The mayor also announced nine additional miles of temporary protected bike lanes.
Altogether, the new openings mean there will be 30 miles of streets for people to take advantage of.
For a complete breakdown of the new open streets, click here (.pdf).
The new temporary bike lanes will be phased in and marked by barrels and other signs.
"Now that warmer weather has arrived, New Yorkers will need more options to enjoy the outdoors at a safe, social distance," said Mayor de Blasio. "We're grateful to all our local partners, and we believe new bike lanes will lay the groundwork for a cycling surge in the months and years to come."
The de Blasio administration has pledged at least 40 miles of streets would be open by the end of May, and the goal is to expand to 100 miles.
"As we continue our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, we are also working to help New Yorkers travel more safely by bringing new temporary bike lanes and open streets to more neighborhoods, including the South Bronx, Upper Manhattan, Bushwick and Kensington," said NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. "As we continue to announce more of these projects in the coming weeks, we especially want to hear from residents of neighborhoods around the five boroughs who want open streets but may not have formal community partners to help with implementation."
"We're pleased to see more progress toward the mayor's ambitious goal of 100 miles of open streets," said Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris. "Repurposing street space once set aside for cars will make it possible for New Yorkers to make essential trips, abide by physical distancing guidelines, and travel safely by bicycle."
For more information on which streets are open, click here.
