Secondary Navigation

Streets Week!: Mayor de Blasio Announces "Open Boulevards"

May 12, 2021

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced “Open Boulevards,” a new program to enhance and expand 10 multi-block corridors to create dining destination experiences throughout the city. The plan builds off last year’s successful Open Streets: Restaurants program, which transformed miles of restaurant-heavy streets into open space for diners, cyclists, and pedestrians to enjoy. In addition to creating extra space for dining, Open Boulevards will feature cultural activities, community-based programming, landscaping and other beautification, and art installations.

The City will work with NYC & Company to promote Open Boulevards and drive citywide, regional, and international tourist activity to each location in the five boroughs. The announcements continue Streets Week!, a suite of transportation, traffic safety, and open space policy announcements to double down on the transformative Vision Zero initiative.

“In a year of dramatic changes to our urban landscape, Open Boulevards will transform New York City’s streets like never before,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The Recovery for All of Us will come to life on these streets, where small businesses, restaurants, artists, pedestrians, and cyclists will gather to create the kind of destination you can only find in the greatest city in the world.”

“New Yorkers deserve more open space than ever this summer, and Open Boulevards will be a great resource for dining, cycling, and enjoying all the dynamic cultural events our city has to offer,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. “As we bring back Open Streets: Restaurants and make Open Streets permanent, there will be more ways than ever to put our streets to work for people, not just vehicles.”

“As a Brooklynite, I know that Open Streets like Vanderbilt Avenue have already illustrated how this city, through the determined and combined involvement of residents and restauranteurs, can thrive in this recovery,” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “With even more resources and publicity, Open Boulevards will give us a chance to further expand those success stories, driving even more business to vibrant communities and of course, great dining.”

“We’re pleased to support the new ‘Open Boulevards’ plan that will not only expand the City’s café culture across the five boroughs, but also add new arts, culture and community elements that will help boost New York City’s reawakening and attract visitors this summer and beyond,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO at NYC & Company.

The City will mark Open Boulevards with branded light pole banners and gateways at entrances and public tables and chairs. Restaurants on Open Boulevards will receive free barriers at select giveaway events, to ensure safety for roadway diners and pedestrians.

Locations include:

Borough On Street From Street To Street
Bronx Alexander Ave Bruckner Blvd E. 134th St
Bronx Arthur Ave E. 187 St Crescent Ave
Manhattan Amsterdam Ave W. 106 St W. 110 St
Manhattan Columbus Ave W. 106 St W. 110 St
Brooklyn Vanderbilt Ave Atlantic Ave Park Place
Brooklyn 5th Ave, Park Slope Dean Park Place
    Sterling Place Berkeley Place
    President St 3 St
    10 St 13 St
Brooklyn 5th Ave, Sunset Park 39 St 41 St
    45 St 47 St
    55 St 59 St
Queens Ditmars Blvd 33 St 36 St
Queens Woodside Ave 76 St 78 St
Staten Island Minthorne St Victory Blvd Bay St

More information, including days, hours, and operating partners, can be found at www.nyc.gov/openboulevards.

"Our communities were some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and because of it, they need our support now more than ever," said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. "By building on the success of Open Streets, and by continuing to bring public space enhancements to neighborhoods across the city, the Open Boulevards Program will ensure that our communities can build back better, stronger, and more united than ever before by getting our residents outside and bringing our people together – to create a stronger, and more united, city for all New Yorkers.”

“I commend the city and the Angiuli Group for working together to bring the Open Boulevards initiative to Minthrone Street. We need to continue to identify spaces where closing streets will not increase traffic, but will encourage more people to use our open spaces and frequent nearby businesses,” said Assembly Member Charles D. Fall.

"Full recovery from this pandemic means supporting the artists and small businesses hit the hardest by closures--and Open Boulevards will do just that. Community-based programming, along with commissioned murals, will give New Yorkers an opportunity to support and celebrate the artists and local organizations so vital to my district. Outdoor dining was an economic lifeline for small businesses throughout the pandemic, and I am thrilled we will be continuing to support them as we recover and build our city back stronger. I thank the Mayor, Department of Transportation, and the Columbus-Amsterdam BID for this important initiative,” said Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell.

“I am encouraged to see DOT building upon their immensely successful Open Streets: Restaurants program,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “Open Streets have been a boon for small businesses suffering from the pandemic. We should be doing all we can to bolster them and they should continue to be expanded throughout Manhattan.”

“The Open Streets program offers much needed recreational space to Queens residents looking for ways to enjoy the outdoors and experience the vibrancy of our neighborhoods,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “The Open Boulevards program is a natural expansion of Open Streets and is a great way to make these destinations even more attractive. I encourage Queens residents to visit our Open Boulevards to enjoy more of what our great Borough and City have to offer.”

“During the height of the pandemic, the Open Streets initiative helped New Yorkers enjoy the outdoors while keeping everyone socially distant. The success of this program should encourage us to continue exploring and expanding on initiatives that will help New Yorkers reclaim their streets. We must also continue expanding these initiatives into all underserved communities,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chairman of the Transportation Committee. “I look forward to working alongside Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Corey Johnson, my colleagues at the council, and advocates to continue opening our streets for all New Yorkers to enjoy.”

"Open streets and accessible spaces have been the key for thousands of New Yorkers getting through the Pandemic and it will be a key to our recovery as well,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “I am thrilled to have an Open Boulevard in my District and that we have additional spaces to outdoor dine, support our small businesses, and gather with our neighbors”

"The Open Boulevards Program will be a fantastic enhancement of many of the streets across New York City that were repurposed as healthy, car-free public spaces in the last year," said Liam Blank, a spokesman for Tri-State Transportation Campaign. "As we head into the summer months, providing more public amenities, art, and community-based programming in neighborhoods, particularly in the outer boroughs, will be critical to ensure an equitable recovery from the pandemic. We look forward to seeing this new program come to fruition."

"Open Streets are helping neighborhoods recover from the pandemic, and have the opportunity to serve our public health, small businesses, and community needs for decades to come. That is why we have advocated with the Open Streets Coalition for the program to be expanded and permanent. Launching the Open Boulevards Program is a strong signal from Mayor de Blasio that Open Streets are here to stay and improving. We thank the administration for taking this creative step and will continue to work with NYC DOT and the Open Streets Coalition to ensure that local volunteer groups from across the five boroughs have the support they need for their Open Streets to thrive and expand to more communities," said Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives.

“When the pandemic hit, the City of New York launched the Open Restaurants, outdoor dining program that saved countless small businesses and jobs throughout the five boroughs. It also inspired our communities and policymakers to reimagine our streetscape for complementary uses to create a more vibrant and livable city. We commend Mayor de Blasio’s announcement of the new Open Boulevards initiative, which is a wonderful evolution of these programs that will weave outdoor dining with art, beautification, culture, and community-based programming, to help foster a transformative recovery in our beloved city,” said Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, NYC Hospitality Alliance.

“The Open Boulevards Program will make several streets across the five boroughs more business-friendly, healthy, and sustainable. This is critical as New York City continues to recover from the pandemic and grapple with long-standing inequities related to how we use public space,” said Kate Slevin, Senior Vice President, State Programs and Advocacy, Regional Plan Association. “We applaud Mayor de Blasio and the Department of Transportation for prioritizing community-based programming on open streets and encouraging New Yorkers to use streets for activities other than driving.”

"Prioritizing our streetscape for families instead of cars helps fight climate change and expands sorely-needed open space. That's why NYLCV joined the NYC 25x25 coalition to call for setting aside 25% of our streets for people by 2025. This new Open Boulevards program will help encourage New Yorkers to spend time outdoors and cool off, while reducing traffic congestion and decreasing air pollution.  We look forward to seeing all of these Open Boulevards made permanent and further investments in our streetscape like this. We thank DOT Commissioner Gutman for launching this important program,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters.

Media Contact

pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov
(212) 788-2958