School Streets, but for Whom?

The DOT Open Streets program, which authorizes the closure of certain streets to car traffic for the sake of pedestrian and cyclist use, was pioneered in 2020 as a response to the need for socially-distanced public space during the Covid-19 pandemic. School Streets, streets adjacent to schools that are used for activities like outdoor learning, recess, and pick-up, are a subsect of this Open Streets program; however, the history of NYC streets being closed to car traffic for use by children is much more deep-rooted, extending back to the 1920s with the creation of “play streets.” These play streets functioned more similarly to present-day playgrounds rather than learning centers; however, the essential idea that streets should be repurposed as public spaces focused on equitable access to outdoor space and social childhood development was a powerful proposal that deserves to be executed to its fullest potential today.

While the Open Streets program provides major benefits like encouraging community programming, safer transportation routes for micromobility users, and increased space and revenue for local businesses, the implementation of the program has been inequitable, with largely richer, whiter, and better-resourced neighborhoods reaping most of the benefits. School Streets are more Manhattan-centric than ever since the program launched in 2020, with nearly half of them now located in Manhattan despite the outer boroughs having the least access to micromobility infrastructure, higher health hazards, and a greater need for public pedestrianized space.

Even within the borough of Brooklyn, the distribution of School Streets has been inequitable, privileging community districts in North Brooklyn, namely Community District 2 and Community District 6 which encompass the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, and Park Slope. These neighborhoods host a population that is largely white and higher-income, with white residents making up 56% of the area’s population, 24% higher than the city’s average, and more than 94% of residents living above the poverty line. Additionally, these neighborhoods are already well-resourced in access to pedestrian infrastructure like parks, pedestrian plazas, and public seating. Community District 2 ranks second highest in the whole city for resident access to pedestrian plazas and on average for Districts 2 and 6, over 94% of residents live within walking distance of a park.

Despite the resources and advantages these districts already possess, of the 13 Brooklyn locations currently listed in the DOT School Streets program, more than half are located solely in Community Districts 2 and 6. Only one is in a Community District in South Brooklyn.

Community District 11, an area located in South Brooklyn featuring the neighborhoods of Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, and Gravesend, ranks lower than three-quarters of all of New York City’s community districts in tree canopy, permeable surface area, and access to parks. The district has a meager 0.3 acres of open space per 1,000 residents, eight times less than what the Department of City Planning recommends. The area’s population is less white and less wealthy than its North Brooklyn counterpart, with around 1 in 8 residents living below the poverty line. Despite the area hosting 21 public schools, there are no School Streets located here.

School Streets provide much-needed open space and safe opportunities for children to play and socially learn in the urban environment they call home. Children who regularly play outdoors have improved awareness, reasoning, and observational skills, an increased sense of control over their own lives, and more positive feelings about each other. The School Streets program must be expanded and equitably distributed so that children from all neighborhoods, especially those that have been systemically overlooked and disadvantaged due to race and income level, can experience the benefits of reclaiming street space for their use.

Designating and designing Permanent School Streets at every school within the city is necessary. The streets must center children’s needs through the prioritization of community greening and tree coverage, spaces for seating and educational play structures, and safe zones for drop-off and pick-up. This universal program would ensure that children feel empowered to engage with their city in a joyful and critical way, paving the way for a next generation of thinkers that takes agency over their power to reclaim streets for people.