34th Avenue between 73rd and 80th Streets was part of the open streets pilot at the end of March (Google Maps)
April 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that 100 miles of New York City streets will be turned over to pedestrians as the coronavirus pandemic continues into warmer months.
The announcement follows weeks of pressure from the City Council and advocacy groups who have called for car-free streets amid the outbreak. It also comes nearly a month after de Blasio ended a similar short-lived street closure pilot program at the end of March.
Today, the mayor said the city will begin to open 40 miles of streets to pedestrians over the next month in partnership with the City Council and Speaker Corey Johnson. The goal is to reach 100 miles, focusing on communities hardest hit by the outbreak.
“The Council is thrilled our calls for open streets have been answered and looks forward to working with the administration to give New Yorkers the space they need to socially distance properly,” Speaker Johnson said.
Supporters say there is a pressing need for extra space–particularly as the weather heats up and residents want to venture outside. The additional closures will help residents observe social distancing requirements.
The City and the Department of Transportation (DOT) plan to close 60 miles of streets adjacent to parks. Local precincts and community boards will identify an additional 20 miles of streets to be closed and BIDs, block associations and other civic groups will identify another 10 miles.
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Hey mayor, this is meant for you as well. Queens is number one in the five boroughs, and you have the distinction of making NYC number one in the world. This is why Queens is number one in the United States of America in COVID19 cases, and deaths, because of poor, brainless leadership. This kind of thinking is what has led us to where we are today, mundane, myopic, individuals in politics who lack vision. Have you not learned anything from this pandemic?
Are you not ashamed that Queens is number one in COVID19 cases, deaths in NYC and in the United States of America. Or are you people just plain stupid.
I say before you make one more inch of bike lanes, you better think about adding a new hospital to the LIC/ Astoria area, because you should be able to see, that one hospital doesn’t cut it. We are number one, and you simpletons completely ignore that.
Now we are faced with a Queens Borough president race, where three of the candidates Costa Constantinides, Liz Crowley, Donovan Richards all three have accepted massive contributions from big developers, the same big developers who constructed a huge number of massive buildings, which in turn have brought tens of thousands of new residents, into Queens. In the meantime our neighborhoods have grown exponentially and not one of you has done anything to address the massive influx of new residents. Take Long Island City, Astoria, Woodside, Sunnyside, for instance while these neighborhoods are now so over crowded that it is a nightmare to get around, find parking, and commute. However, our services have remained the same, no additional police, fire fighters, EMS, sanitation, buses, trains, and certainly no new hospitals.
In-fact hospitals have shut down and, not one of you has shown the least bit of interest or concern. Not one of you has done anything for your districts with regards to health care and readiness for a pandemic, or an outbreak of disease. Now as we are faced with the COVID-19 crisis, and all of your constituents are paying the price. People are dying because of your greed, lack of vision, and lack of concern.
What have you three done in the last eight years as elected officials? You have prioritized bike lanes, hundreds of millions of dollars on bike lanes. That people barely use. Speed cameras, red light cameras, drag queen story time hour, and trans-gender bathrooms.
All of the important things in life that none of us could live without.
And I say again, the three of you collectively have done nothing concerning new hospitals, or the lack of hospitals. Your ineffectiveness as leader speaks in volumes and that is why Queens is number one in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the five boroughs, and the USA.
Any Queens resident who even considers voting for any of you for Queens Borough President has to seriously have their head examined. I urge the public to vote for anyone but these three charlatans, who have clearly failed us. As for Peter Koo, and Danny Drumm, Your districts are also very much in need of additional hospitals. I suggest that you get your heads out of your butts and work on what Queens needs, HOSPITALS. Then more and better services, that us tax payers need , deserve, and want.
They may never open to vehicles again. The car haters at the DoT will use every opportunity to make driving as difficult as possible. Remember, the DoT proposed to close 14th Street to accommodate the L train shut down. The L train didn’t shut down, but they closed 24th Street to cars anyway.