Citywide ‘Open Boulevards’ program is coming to Vanderbilt and Fifth Ave

By Amelia Anthony

If you liked Open Streets, then you’ll love Open Boulevards.

One lasting legacy of the coronavirus pandemic may be a radical rethinking of what city’s streets look like going forward: The de Blasio Administration’s initiative to remove cars from certain city streets during the pandemic has proven popular enough for Hizzoner to extend the program.

“Open Boulevards takes the concept of Open Streets and supercharges it—multiple blocks in a row filled with restaurants, with performances, with community activities,” de Blasio said in a statement.

Ten such Open Boulevards will be set up across all five boroughs, allowing pedestrians, cyclists, arts programming and restaurants to spread into streets cleared of traffic. Three of the 10 Open Boulevards will be in Brooklyn: Vanderbilt Avenue from Atlantic to Park Place, as well as two stretches of Fifth Avenue, in Park Slope and Sunset Park. Vanderbilt Avenue will be “open” all weekend, and Fifth Ave will be “open” Saturdays.

These announcements come during the city-wide “Streets Week!,” a series of updates about the city’s transportation and open space usage.

“As a Brooklynite, I know that Open Streets like Vanderbilt Avenue have already illustrated how this city, through the determined and combined involvement of residents and restauranteurs, can thrive in this recovery,” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman in a statement. “With even more resources and publicity, Open Boulevards will give us a chance to further expand those success stories, driving even more business to vibrant communities and of course, great dining.”