As Summer Enters Full Swing, New York City Builds "Cool Streets" Onto Nation-Leading Open Streets Program
July 7, 2020
Cool It! NYC program will expand cooling options on existing Open Streets with tree-based shade and hydrants, focusing on heat-burdened communities
NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today unveiled the first set of “Cool Streets” for this summer, announcing expanded cooling options on existing Open Streets in the most heat-burdened parts of New York City. The Cool It! NYC program prioritizes new cooling options on blocks in vulnerable neighborhoods with the highest tree-based shade and fire hydrants with spray caps. During heat advisories, NYCDEP and FDNY will proactively install spray caps on these streets’ hydrants to ensure every New Yorker living in a heat-burdened community is within 1/4 mile of an outdoor cooling element.