Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced the first seven miles of city streets that will be closed to vehicular traffic as a means of providing more open outdoor space for New Yorkers to social distance outdoors.
Officials have been concerned that New Yorkers' so far admirable commitment to social distancing will be tested as the weather warms. Congestion at gateways to city parks has concerned officials, so de Blasio plans to target streets inside of and adjacent to parks as pedestrian-only spaces.
The mayor hopes to expand the pedestrian space to 40 and then 100 miles by the summertime. The first streets will close to vehicles and open to pedestrians Monday.
Streets closed to vehicles inside city parks include:
- Fort Tryon Park
- Flushing Meadows
- Forest Hill Park
- Callahan-Kelly Park
- Grant Park
- Silver Lake Park
Streets closed to vehicles adjacent to city parks include:
- Williamsburg Oval
- Court Square
- Carl Shurz
- Highbridge Park
- Prospect Park
- Stapleton Waterfront Park
- Lt. William Tighe Triangle
De Blasio said the upcoming closures are just the beginning and that city will "build out from there." Many locations will see sidewalk expansion similar to what is typically done around Rockefeller Center during the holidays with police barricades.
The mayor says the city will do the expansion where the need is greatest.
New Yorkers in need of face coverings to comply with Gov. Cuomo's order on the subject can obtain them from officials on the streets.
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