🎉 Summer Streets was a blast, and it’s all thanks to YOU!
As this year’s Summer Streets come to a close, we want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who joined us this month and made it unforgettable! Whether you were rallying for congestion pricing, rocking out at our activist corners, getting crafty with bracelet-making, or flexing your trivia skills with our safe streets quiz, you played a vital role in advocating for a more accessible, safe city.
Last weekend alone, our team spoke with thousands of New Yorkers about the benefits of Open Streets. Your enthusiasm and support have been nothing short of inspiring!
But why stop here? Let’s keep the momentum going and continue to push for more car-free streets.
Imagine a city with streets free of cars year-round — cutting pollution, easing traffic, and opening up more public spaces for everyone to enjoy. Join us in making this vision a reality by signing our petition to have Open Streets available 24/7, year-round. Together, let's work towards a cleaner, safer, and more inclusive New York City.
Three Things to Know
Mayor Adams' has broken his promise on McGuinness Boulevard. By siding with special interests and rejecting DOT's evidence-based safety plan, Mayor Adams has prioritized politics over people. For years, Greenpointers have demanded an end to the deadly status quo on McGuinness Boulevard. With school starting soon, children deserve a safe McGuinness Boulevard, not a Robert Moses-era highway masquerading as a neighborhood street. Instead of implementing the evidence-driven plan set for installation last year, Mayor Adams, influenced by wealthy interests, now wants to bring the problematic conditions of the northern portion of McGuinness in the south, perpetuating blocked bike lanes, speeding traffic, and dangerous intersections.
Protected bike lanes and expanded sidewalks are coming to Cypress Avenue. This upgrade will feature a two-way protected bike path, as well as new sidewalks between Cooper Avenue and Cypress Hills Street. Cypress Avenue — an essential route for cyclists and pedestrians traveling between Ridgewood and Bushwick — is finally receiving the much-needed safety improvements that we have advocated for years. The dangerous street makes it challenging for many New Yorkers to safely visit their closest green space, Highland Park.
In the news. Here's what we're reading this week:
If Trump is elected in November, there are at least three ways that he could kill congestion pricing or hold it up for years, reports New York Focus.
Exciting news from 14th Street! According to amNY, the MTA has completed the installation of new elevators for the uptown F/M and L trains at Sixth Avenue.
The Bronx Times covers our bus heat report, highlighting New Yorkers' concerns about excessive heat, slow and delayed buses, and lack of seating.
Two Things to Do
Join our virtual town hall with CIVITAS on New York City’s heat crisis. As our city grapples with the severe effects of the urban heat island effect, bus stops across the five boroughs have emerged as significant yet often overlooked sources of dangerous heat exposure. Join us and CIVITAS on September 5 at 5:30 p.m., to address New York City’s growing heat crisis and unveil our newly released bus heat report. We need your insights and input to develop street safety recommendations that will protect our communities as summers continue to grow hotter. Be sure to check out our social media this week for the RSVP link.
Register for our Vision Zero Cities Conference this October. Join us from October 16 to 18, for keynote speakers, breakout sessions, virtual panels, and various networking opportunities at our annual Vision Zero Cities conference at NYU. Attendees can also look forward to a special field tour on a ferry. Learn more and register now.
One Action to Take Now
It’s time for New York City to publicly fund Citi Bike. Millions of New Yorkers rely on bike share, but its costs keep climbing. Citi Bike has already raised its prices twice this year alone. Unlike other public transit options in New York City, bike share doesn’t get any public funding, limiting affordability and preventing the network from going citywide. Sign our petition calling for public funding to expand bike share to every neighborhood in New York City.
