Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release #12-40

Seth Solomonow/Nicole Garcia: (212) 839-4850

NYC DOT Commissioner Sadik-Khan Invites New Yorkers to Come Out for Summer Streets 2012, Starting Saturday, August 4

First-time attractions include 160-foot-long zip line and interactive public art projects all three weekends, along with other free, family-friendly activities from a rock climbing wall to dance classes and more

New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner (DOT) Janette Sadik-Khan today reminded New Yorkers and visitors to take part in Summer Streets 2012 and enjoy nearly seven miles of car-free streets in Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park open to free fun, family-friendly activities and healthy recreation for three Saturdays this month—Aug. 4, 11 and 18—from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., as well as to participate in the 30 remaining Weekend Walks at 12 sites in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens over the coming weeks. This year’s Summer Streets lineup includes several new attractions, including a 160-foot-long zip line, temporary public art and a yoga pop-up park, as well as the return of the free helmet distribution, the 25-foot REI rock climbing wall, free exercise and dance classes and the Whole Foods picnic area for all three weekends. These activities complement the dozens of additional opportunities to play sports, walk, run, bike and rollerblade.

“Summer Streets gives New Yorkers an all-access pass to seven miles of open, car-free space to walk, run, ride bikes and play,” said Commissioner Sadik-Khan. “From zip lines to rock climbs, and dozens of other healthy, free activities, New Yorkers can reach new heights of fun on the first three Saturdays in August.”

Each Summer Streets, DOT fits and distributes thousands of free bike helmets. This year’s helmet giveaway has been relocated to the 51st Street (Uptown) rest stop to provide more room based on past demand. The agency also is sponsoring Truck’s Eye View, a special safety program, at this rest stop. Truck’s Eye View lets pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers get behind the wheel of a truck to help them gain perspective of how truck drivers see the roadway. Participants will also take part in other activities to learn how together, all roadway users can help enhance safety on our streets.

The City Department of Environmental Protection will provide drinking water fountains along the route and for the first-time a fire hydrant sprinkler will be available at 52nd Street.  Free Bike and Roll bicycle and Rollerblade inline skate rentals can be made at select locations. Crunch, Salsa New York, BeFit and others will host free half-hour exercise and dance classes, while GoGo squeeZ, NFL Play60 and the Brooklyn Nets are sponsoring fun activities for all ages.

As part of this year’s Summer Streets programing, DOT’s Urban Art Program collaborated with artists to transform the route into an open-air gallery featuring four installations: Bench Press, Bus Roots, Cyclo-Phone and LOVE TV. BroLab, an artist collective, will debut movable, collapsible benches specially designed to explore the creation of additional public seating at the Foley Square, Midtown and Uptown rest stops. Bus Roots by Marco Antonio Castro Cosio is a mobile garden temporarily set up for all three weekends at 40th St. between Park and Lexington avenues. The artist’s concept is designed to reconnect urban communities with nature by repurposing bus rooftops into gardens. New Yorkers of every age are invited to meet the artist, learn about gardening and help plant herbs, crops and other vegetation. Marcelo Ertorteguy and Sara Valente are presenting Cyclo-Phone, two stationary bike-powered musical instruments that members of the public can try at Astor Place. LOVE TV, by artist Rebecca McIntosh and art producer Victoria Johnstone, blends performance art with a talk show format that invites New Yorkers to share their stories of life and love in New York City. LOVE TV performances will take place at Foley Square, and also as part of Weekend Walks in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.

This year’s Summer Streets events are made possible in part through the support of REI, Whole Foods Market, Crunch, Muscle Milk, Odwalla, GoGo squeeZ, Asphalt Green and NFL PLAY 60, among others. Media sponsors include New York Magazine, El Diario, CBS and SNY.

Key cross-town streets will remain open to vehicles. No Parking regulations will be in effect from 11 p.m. the Friday evening before each event until 2 p.m. the day of the event. Street closures will begin at 6 a.m., with streets reopening at 1:30 p.m. on the day of each event. More information can be found at nyc.gov/dot.

DOT also partnered with 18 community groups in every borough to present Weekend Walks. Each event creates high-quality space in commercial districts, featuring a range of family-friendly activities, from music performances to arts and crafts to classes and youth programming. A list of remaining Weekend Walks from now through October is below. More information is available at www.nyc.gov/weekendwalks.

Remaining Weekend Walks Events

Bronx

  • Bronx Summer Walks on Burnside Avenue: West Burnside Avenue between Davidson Avenue and Jerome Avenue; August 4 (Saturday) at 10:00 am–5:00 pm. Hosted by Davidson Community Center.
  • 204th Street Weekend Walks: East 204th Street between Bainbridge Avenue and Decatur Avenue; August 5 (Sunday) at noon–5:00 pm. Hosted by Bronx CB 7.
  • Bronx Summer Walks on Louis Niñe Boulevard: Louis Niñe Boulevard between Southern Boulevard and Intervale Avenue; August 4, August 11 (Saturdays) at noon–4:00 pm. Hosted by WHEDco.

Brooklyn

  • Summer Stroll: Third Avenue between 82nd Street and 89th Street; August 10, August 17 (Fridays) at 6:00–10:00 pm. Hosted by Merchants of Third Avenue.
  • TAMA Summer Fest Weekend Walks II: Tompkins Avenue between Hancock Street and Putnam Avenue; August 4 (Saturday) at 2:30–5:30 pm. Hosted by Bridge Street Development Corporation.
  • Summer Space: Montague Street between Clinton Street and Hicks; September 9, September 23, October 14 (Sundays) at noon–5:00 pm. Hosted by Montague Street BID.
  • Children's Earth Day/Activity Day: St. Marks Avenue/Sixth Avenue and Flatbush Avenue; October 27 (Saturday) at noon–4:00 pm Hosted by North Flatbush Avenue BID.

Manhattan

  • Manhattan Valley Family Days: Amsterdam Avenue between 106th and 110th; September 9, September 16 (Sundays) at 11:00 am–5:00 pm. Hosted by Columbus Amsterdam BID.
  • Fringe NYC on Fourth: East 4th Street between Second Avenue and Bowery; August 18, August 19, August 25, August 26 (Saturdays and Sundays) at 1:00–8:00 pm. Hosted by FAB.
  • Uptown Pops: Hamilton Place between West 136th Street and West 137th Street; September 15 & September 16, September 22 & September 23, September 29 & September 30 (Saturdays and Sundays) at 9:00 am–3:00 pm. Hosted by West Harlem Art Fund.

Queens

  • Sunnyside Summer Streets: 46th Street between Greenpoint Avenue and Queens Boulevard; August 4, August 11, August 18, August 25 (Saturdays) at 1:00–8:00 pm. Hosted by Sunnyside Shines BID (Sunnyside District Management Association).
  • Astoria Park Shore Fest: Shore Boulevard between Astoria Park South and Ditmars Boulevard; August 5, August 12, August 19 (Sundays) at 1:00 pm–7:00 pm. Hosted by Astoria Park Alliance.

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