Photo Courtesy of Google
This week, Freedom Drive between Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue in Forest Park was among the streets opened to socially distancing cyclists and pedestrians.
By Michael V. Cusenza
As the City braces for the gradual reopening process, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson on Friday announced the first group of streets that would be opened to pedestrians and cyclists every day starting this week.
The streets, spanning over seven miles and reaching all five boroughs, are part of the Open Streets initiative designed to provide greater social distancing among New Yorkers, de Blasio and Johnson said.
In Queens, beginning this week, the following streets within Forest Park opened up to cyclists and pedestrians: Freedom Drive between Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue; East Main Drive between Metropolitan Avenue and the Overlook parking lot; and West Main Drive between the Bandshell parking lot and the Golf Course parking lot, for a grand total of 1.10 miles of car-less roads.
“I believe it will have a minimal impact on the community while providing some more space for safe recreation during the pandemic,” Councilman Bob Holden (D-Middle Village) said.
The following street also opened this week in Flushing Meadows Corona Park: Meadow Lake Drive between Model Airplane Field and the Meadow Lake Bridge parking lot; a total of 1.5 miles for socially distancing cyclists and pedestrians.
The following street adjacent to Court Square Park in Long Island City also opened this week: Court Square West from Jackson Avenue to the dead end.
“New Yorkers deserve safe ways to enjoy the warm weather while we fight through this crisis, and I’m proud of my team for jumping into action with this first group of open streets,” de Blasio said. “Our parks have played a critical role in maintaining public health during this crisis. But we cannot afford to have a high demand for open space create unhealthy situations—so opening up streets near or within these parks is one of the ways New Yorkers can get outside safely.”
Last Monday, de Blasio and the City Council announced that 40 miles of streets citywide would be opened during May to allow greater social distancing, with a plan to expand to 100 total miles to be identified in the weeks ahead.
“Todayis a great first step and an exciting day for an entire city starved of adequate open space,” Johnson added. “The council is glad our efforts on this initiative have brought us this far, and we are eager to work with our colleagues in government, community groups, and our neighbors to keep expanding this program in a safe, effective, and enjoyable way. While we continue our fight against this awful virus, we need to give people the space they need to maintain proper social distancing, and I’m glad we’re making progress towards that goal.”
According to City officials, pedestrians and cyclists can use the roadbed of each open street. No through traffic will be permitted, with remaining vehicle traffic limited to local deliveries, pick-ups/drop-offs, necessary city service vehicles, and emergency vehicles only. These drivers are alerted to be hyper-vigilant and to drive at 5 mph along these routes.
