You are reading

More Queens Streets Will Be Made Car-Free as Part of City’s Open Streets Initiative

Queens Council Member Daniel Dromm and DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg at 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, which is part of the open streets initiative (DOT Twitter)

May 22, 2020 By Allie Griffin

More Queens streets will be turned over to pedestrians and cyclists beginning tomorrow, as the city expands its open streets initiative during the coronavirus pandemic.

The new streets announced today put New York City above its goal of closing 40 miles to car traffic by the end of May, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

“New Yorkers deserve space to safely enjoy the outdoors in their own neighborhoods,” de Blasio said in a statement. “Thanks to hard work from a host of City agencies, we’ve beaten our Open Streets goal for this month – and made our city a national leader in expanding public space as we fight COVID-19.”

Over the course of the month, the city has rolled out multiple waves of street openings as part of the initiative, first announced on April 27.

De Blasio hopes to open 100 miles of city streets for pedestrian and cyclists’ exclusive use over the course of the pandemic.

All open street locations can be found on the Department of Transportation website.

The purpose is to provide more outdoor space for New Yorkers looking to get some fresh air amid stay-at-home orders. The additional mileage of open space will make it easier for people to follow social distancing rules as they venture outside to enjoy the warm weather.

Several streets in Queens were announced today and will close to traffic daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. beginning tomorrow.

The streets include:

120th Street between 94th Avenue and Liberty Avenue in South Richmond Hill

99th Street between Horace Harding and 66th Avenue in Rego Park

50th Avenue between 48th Street and 44th Street in Sunnyside

66th Road between 110th Street and Grand Central Parkway in Forest Hills

Ascan Avenue between Queens Boulevard and Austin Street in Forest Hills

60th Street between Laurel Hill Boulevard and 47th Avenue in Maspeth

107th Avenue between 159th Street and 160th Street in Jamaica

108th Avenue between 159th Street and 160th Street in Jamaica

159th Street between 108th Avenue and 109th Avenue in Jamaica

109th Avenue between 159th Street and 160th Street in Jamaica

Officers from local police precincts will monitor the open streets.

Several streets adjacent to Queens parks will also close to traffic, beginning tomorrow including:

Center Boulevard between 57th Avenue and Borden Avenue near Hunters Point Park in Long Island City

169th Street between Northern Boulevard and 43rd Avenue near Plaut Triangle in Flushing

85th Street between 25th Avenue and 30th Avenue near Gorman Playground in East Elmhurst

68th Road between 108th Street and Yellowstone Boulevard near Yellowstone Park in Forest Hills

Dieterle Crescent between Alderton Street and 65th Drive near Painter’s Playground in Rego Park

Barron Street between 116th Avenue and Foch Boulevard near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica

Lakeview Boulevard East between 118th Avenue and 122nd Avenue near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica

155th Street between 119th Avenue and 125th Avenue near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica

Lakeview Lane between 122nd Avenue and Baisley Boulevard near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica

122nd Avenue between Lakeview Boulevard East and Lakeview Lane near Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica

 

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Jenifer Rajkumar begins campaign for comptroller

Nov. 22, 2024 By Tangerine Clarke

Stanford Law and University of Pennsylvania-educated lawyer Jenifer Rajkumar says she brings an unparalleled record of public service and leadership. This includes fighting workplace discrimination for 5,000 women — a case recognized by the United Nations as one of the top 10 in the world promoting women’s equality.

Fatal chain-reaction crash on Kosciuszko Bridge in Maspeth claims life of 75-year-old Texan: NYPD

New details have emerged into the fatal chain-reaction four-vehicle collision on the Kosciuszko Bridge in Maspeth that killed a senior and injured seven on Thursday morning.

The 75-year-old man who was killed during the pile-up has been identified as Shafiur Rahman of Euless, Texas. He was among several passengers riding in a 2021 Honda HRV that was trying to merge into the rain-soaked southbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

Mayor announces labor agreements covering more than $1B in capital projects including infrastructure at Willets Point

The city has secured two major labor agreements with the Building & Construction Trades Council that will cover more than $1 billion in capital projects, including infrastructure improvements in Willets Point, Mayor Eric Adams announced at City Hall on Thursday morning.

The Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) enable the city to establish fair wages, benefits, and safety [protections for workers and provide opportunities for workforce development while controlling construction costs and ensuring the timely completion of projects.