The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day on Saturday, April 20, and several streets will be left car-free.
New Yorkers can look forward to a day jam-packed with fun activities and educational events like environmentalism, climate change, and sustainable transportation.
The venues will feature state-of-the-art public art and networking systems so that citizens can access them. Car-free operations are expected to take place from 10 a. m. at four p. m.
There are a total of 54 locations spread across the five districts. In Queens, the highlight will be on Woodside Avenue, which runs from 75th Street to 78th Street in Elmhurst.
The DOT plans to exhibit the paintings of four environmentally-focused artists as part of public art programming. The artists, Natalie Wood, Wendel Jeffrey, Amanda Thackray and Lyubava Kroll, will exhibit their paintings along select routes through the city. The art paintings come with “EcoHarmony,” an organization of repurposed furniture that has been remodeled into a living plant sculpture, and “KelpParade,” which brings a kelp forest to life through 24 sound- and motion-activated flags, created from recycled material. plastic bags.
Residents can also take 30-minute rides on vintage Citi motorcycles, courtesy of Lyft. Riders can redeem the 24-hour offer with the code CARFREE24 in the Citi Bike app.
Many local government leaders praised the event as a wonderful way to teach citizens about climate change and sustainable progress practices. “This event is a wonderful way to inspire citizens to reduce their reliance on cars and take other actions that reduce our city’s carbon emissions. footprint and restrict the negative effects of climate change, which we have already begun to feel,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.
DOT’s Car-Free Earth Day initiative began in 2016, transforming some Manhattan streets into car-free public spaces for pedestrians and local businesses to congregate. This year’s launch comes as DOT has secured $30 million in contracts to expand its resources into spaces that require the initiative. support.
Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day also marks the official start of the city’s Open Streets and Public Spaces programming season. The Open Streets program focuses on a series of limited to general street closures that lead to a public area open to all residents. The closures allow for a variety of activities aimed at promoting economic development, school events, and pedestrian and bicycle areas. Public space programming invites New Yorkers to participate in a series of flexible public activities similar to networking.