‘Trick-or-Streets’: Adams Administration Announces First-Ever Expansion of Open Street Hours for Halloween, Cuts Ribbon on 34th Avenue Redesign in Queens

Nearly 100 Open Streets and other newly pedestrianized streets will be car-free next Monday evening, October 31st, activated for ghoulish “Trick-or Streets” events that will allow families more public space in celebration of Halloween.

The 34th Avenue Open Street in Jackson Heights is also celebrated — as extraordinary public space improvements implemented by DOT this year have permanently prioritized pedestrians and cyclists.

Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the activation of nearly 100 Open Streets and other newly pedestrianized streets to celebrate Halloween night. Today’s event was held along the 34th Avenue Open Street in Jackson Heights, Queens, one of the prime locations being activated next Monday for a groundbreaking program being called “Trick-or-Streets”. See location list below, or visit the Trick-or-Streets map. Commissioner Rodriguez also joined community groups, advocates, and local elected officials to cut the ribbon on 34th Avenue, one of next week’s locations that is also New York City’s longest Open Street.

“As we permanently open the gold standard, Open Street on 34th Avenue, we hope every family and every child has a safe and enjoyable Halloween with special evening Trick-or-Streets across the entire city,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “This program brings together communities and city government to promote safety, community, and fun, and I want to thank all our partners on the ground for their contributions. Happy Halloween, New Yorkers!”

“I am incredibly excited to build on the triumph of our thriving Open Streets program by launching our first ever Trick-Or-Streets initiative this Halloween, providing greater access to safer, shared community spaces,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “I thank Mayor Adams and our dedicated staff for planning this groundbreaking event and hope families will take the opportunity to safely Trick-Or-Treat on an Open Street. And as a bonus, we are celebrating Trick-or-Streets with all the fiendish friends and community partners who have made the official ribbon-cutting along the incredible 34th Avenue Open Street possible.”

34th Avenue Open Street 
DOT today celebrated the substantial completion of the 34th Ave Open Street redesign, a groundbreaking project that has transformed 1.3 miles of 34th Avenue into a pedestrian and cyclist priority corridor. The project includes new plaza and shared street blocks centered at the schools, enhancing safety, accessibility, and creating vibrant programming space for children attending the seven schools within a block of the Jackson Heights corridor. 

Started in the depths of the pandemic in 2020, the 34th Avenue Open Street quickly developed into a family-focused oasis on what was once a car-centric corridor. A new network of community spaces was created for Jackson Heights neighbors of all backgrounds and ages, the Open Street dramatically reduced vehicular volumes and through traffic. As a result of the changes, safety has improved for all road users, with a 41.7% drop in crashes involving pedestrians.

This project is a shining example of how DOT is working with communities to rethink New York City streets as public space, marking a significant stride in bringing new public spaces from Bike Boulevards to Shared Streets to Pedestrian Plaza to enhance completely residential corridors. DOT will continue to engage with the Jackson Heights community about the future of this corridor, including public surveys and visioning sessions for the capital project funded with $84M in city funding and an additional $750,000 from former City Council Member Daniel Dromm. The larger Open Streets program continues to transform streets for people and DOT has several similar public space projects either planned, or recently completed, in neighborhoods across the city.

Trick-or-Streets 
For the first time, Open Streets will expand its hours into Halloween night, when families with children will be welcome to enjoy fa-boo-lous fun on select car-free streets.

In addition to 34th Avenue, Halloween Open Streets will occur on nearly 100 Open Streets and other newly pedestrianized streets on Monday, October 31st from 4 PM – 8PM. See location list below, or visit the Trick-or-Streets map. 

NYC DOT is excited to partner with the following Open Streets for special activations on Halloween:

Borough	Location	Streets	Partner
Bronx	Jennings Street	Prospect Avenue to Chisholm Street	Caldwell Enrichment Program Inc
Bronx	Willis Avenue	East 147 Street to East 148 Street	Third Avenue Business Improvement District
Brooklyn	Berry Street	Broadway to North 12 Street	North Brooklyn Open Streets Community Coalition
Brooklyn	Beverly Road	East 2 Street to Church Avenue	NYC DOT
Brooklyn	Chauncey Street	Howard Avenue to Saratoga Avenue	Chauncey Street Block & Tenants Association
Brooklyn	Hall Street	Park Avenue to Myrtle Avenue	Hall Street Block Association
Brooklyn	Howard Avenue	Macon Street to Halsey Street	Friends of Saratoga Park Bed-Stuy + LLTCRN
Brooklyn	Joralemon Street	Furman Street to Hicks Street	Willowtown Association
Brooklyn	Pearl Street	Fulton Street to Dead End	Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
Brooklyn	Polhemus Place	Carroll Street to Garfield Place	Polhemus Place Block Association
Brooklyn	Reed Street	Van Brunt Street to Conover Street	Hometown BBQ
Brooklyn	Sharon Street	Olive Street to Morgan Avenue	Friends of Cooper Park
Brooklyn	South Portland Avenue	Dekalb Avenue to Lafayette Avenue	Fort Greene Open Streets Coalition
Brooklyn	State Street	Smith Street to Nevins Street	Boerum Hill Association
Brooklyn	Underhill Avenue	Atlantic Avenue to St Johns Place	Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council
Brooklyn	Washington Street	Front Street to Water Street	Dumbo Improvement District
Brooklyn	Watkins Street	Dead End to Belmont Avenue	Brownsville Community Justice Center
Brooklyn	West 9 Street	Henry Street to Hicks Street	Red Hook Initiative
Brooklyn	Willoughby Avenue	Washington Park to Hall Street	Fort Greene Open Streets Coalition
Brooklyn	Willoughby Street	Pearl Street to Jay Street	Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
Manhattan	Avenue B	East 6 Street to East 14 Street	Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition
Manhattan	Avenue Of The Americas	Spring Street to Dominick Street	Hudson Square Business Improvement District
Manhattan	Bond Street	Lafayette Street to Bowery	il Buco
Manhattan	Broadway	West 25 Street to West 27 Street	Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership
Manhattan	Broome Street	Allen Street to Ludlow Street	Lower East Side Partnership
Manhattan	Canal Street	Essex Street to Orchard Street	Cervo’s
Manhattan	Doyers Street	Chatham Square to Pell Street	Chinatown Business Improvement District
Manhattan	Duane Street	Hudson Street to West Broadway	Khe-Yo
Manhattan	East 115 Street	at Park Avenue	Uptown Grand Central
Manhattan	East 18 Street	Park Avenue South to Irving Place	Gramercy Neighborhood Associates
Manhattan	East 20 Street	Park Avenue South to Broadway	Rezdora
Manhattan	East 4 Street	Bowery to 2 Avenue	FABnyc
Manhattan	East 7 Street	Avenue A to 1 Avenue	Overthrow Hospitality
Manhattan	East 78 Street	Lexington Avenue to Park Avenue	The Allen-Stevenson School
Manhattan	Elizabeth Street	Spring Street to Prince Street	Peasant
Manhattan	Forsyth Street	East Broadway to Division Street	Chinatown Business Improvement District
Manhattan	Gansevoort Street	Hudson Street to 10 Avenue	Meatpacking District Management Association
Manhattan	Hester Street	Mott Street to Mulberry Street	LIttle Italy Merchants Association
Manhattan	Hudson Boulevard East	West 35 Street to West 36 Street	Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance
Manhattan	Hudson Boulevard West	West 35 Street to West 36 Street	Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance
Manhattan	Lafayette Street	Spring Street to Kenmare Street	Altamarea Group
Manhattan	Little West 12 Street	Washington Street to 9 Avenue	Meatpacking District Management Association
Manhattan	Ludlow Street	Stanton Street to Rivington Street	Lower East Side Partnership
Manhattan	Morton Street	7 Avenue South to Bleecker Street	Cara JECM LLC
Manhattan	Mulberry Street	Hester Street to Broome Street	Little Italy Merchants Association
Manhattan	Orchard Street	Grand Street to Delancey Street	Lower East Side Partnership
Manhattan	Pell Street	Bowery to Mott Street	Chinatown Business Improvement District
Manhattan	Rivington Street	Chrystie Street to Bowery	Ray’s Bar
Manhattan	Rivington Street	Allen Street to Ludlow Street	Lower East Side Partnership
Manhattan	Rivington Street	Eldridge Street to Forsyth Street	JADIS
Manhattan	Spring Street	Mott Street to Elizabeth Street	Mari Makan
Manhattan	Spring Street	Thompson Street to West Broadway	Bistro Les Amis
Manhattan	Stanton Street	Allen Street to Ludlow Street	Lower East Side Partnership
Manhattan	Stone Street	Hanover Square to Coenties Alley	Stone Street Community Association
Manhattan	Waverly Place	7 Avenue South to Christopher Street	Jeffrey’s Grocery
Manhattan	West 103 Street	Riverside Drive to Broadway	Park to Park 103
Manhattan	West 120 Street	Lenox Avenue to Mt Morris Park West	Marcus Meets Malcolm
Manhattan	West 13 Street	Hudson Street to Washington Street	Meatpacking District Management Association
Manhattan	West 196 Street	Broadway to Ellwood Street	City College Academy of the Arts
Manhattan	West 21 Street	10 Avenue to 9 Avenue	West 21st Street Open Streets Coalition
Manhattan	West 22 Street	5 Avenue to Avenue Of The Americas	Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership
Manhattan	West 22 Street	7 Avenue to 8 Avenue	Chelsea West 200 Block Association
Queens	31 Avenue	33 Street to 35 Street	31st Ave Open Street Collective
Queens	34 Avenue	69 Street to Junction Boulevard	34th Ave Open Streets Coalition
Queens	Barton Avenue	149 Place to 150 Street	Asian American Federation
Queens	Murdock Avenue	180 Street to Dead End	Addisleigh Park Civic Association
Queens	Woodside Avenue	76 Street to 78 Street	Thai Community USA NYC

In partnership with the NYC Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO), NYC DOT is also excited to partner with several locations opening space for pedestrians on Halloween:

Borough	Location	Streets	Partner
Bronx	Decatur Avenue	East Fordham Road to East 193 Street	10th Annual Ms. Abbies Childrens Halloween Extravaganza
Brooklyn	17 Street	7 Avenue to 8 Avenue	17 Street – Halloween 2022
Brooklyn	Albemarle Road	Argyle Road to Rugby Road	Prospect Park South Annual Halloween Celebration
Brooklyn	Dean Street	Bond Street to Nevins Street	Dean Street Halloween Closure
Brooklyn	East 4 Street	Caton Avenue to Albemerle Road	2022 Halloween Block Party
Brooklyn	Fulton Street	Rochester Avenue to Ralph Avenue	Halloween Trunk or Treat 2022
Brooklyn	Lafayette Avenue	St Felix Street to Ashland Place Columbus Avenue	BAMboo 2022
Brooklyn	Macon Street	Lewis Avenue to Stuyvesant Avenue	Masquerade on Macon
Brooklyn	Ovington Avenue	12 Avenue to 13 Avenue	PS 176 Pumpkin Patch Event 2022
Brooklyn	State Street	Nevins Street to 3 Avenue	State Street Halloween Block Party
Brooklyn	Waverly Avenue	Willoughby Avenue to Dekalb Avenue	Annual Clinton Hill Halloween Safety Walk With Street Activities
Manhattan	East 10 Street	1 Avenue to 2 Avenue	Village Halloween Costume Ball
Manhattan	East 82 Street	3 Avenue to Lexington Avenue	Halloween Party with Robin Hood Foundation
Manhattan	East 92 Street	Madison Avenue to Park Avenue	CHN Spooktacular
Manhattan	Laguardia Place	Washington Square South to West 3 Street	NYU and CB2 Childrens Halloween Parade
Manhattan	Wadsworth Avenue	West 176 Street to West 177 Street	Halloween Celebration
Manhattan	West 139 Street	Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard to Frederick Douglass Boulevard	Strivers Row Halloween Event
Manhattan	West 69 Street	Central Park West to Broadway	Halloween Festival
Manhattan	West 78 Street	Amsterdam Avenue to Columbus Avenue	Halloween 2022
Manhattan	West 90 Street	Central Park West to Columbus Avenue	Halloween Trick or Treating
Manhattan	West 95 Street	Central Park West to Columbus Avenue	West 95th Street 2022 Halloween Party
Queens	39 Avenue	Barnett Avenue to 48 Street	Halloween Street Closure
Queens	45 Avenue	21 Street to 23 Street	Court Square Annual Halloween Trick or Treating
Queens	Hollis Avenue	211 Street to 212 Street	A Haunting in Hollis

NYC DOT’s Public Space partners are joining in the fun throughout the Halloween weekend! Keep an eye out for Halloween and Dia de las Muertos programming at a plaza or Open Street near you. NYC DOT’s Public Space Programing Initiative brings free arts, cultural, fitness, and educational experiences to public spaces that are free and open to New Yorkers of all ages and abilities. Learn more about Public Space Programming at www.nyc.gov/publicspaceprogramming

Upcoming Halloween Events on Monday, October 31st 

Dumbo Arch Way 
Pearl Street between Water Street and Anchorage Place, Brooklyn
4:00 pm – Annual March to the Arch – parade through Dumbo & Brooklyn Bridge Park, led by brass bands & puppets! (Start Washington at Water Streets). 
4:30 pm -7:00 pm – Dumboween Party. Live music. Arts & crafts. Fa-boo-lous photo booth. Costume contest for humans and pets. And of course, candy. Plus pick up a map of trick or treating in the neighborhood.

12th Street Plaza 
12th Street Between 44th Avenue and 43rd Road, Queens 
4:00pm – 6:00pm Families! Trick or treat your way around the 12th Street Plaza with arts & crafts, candy and lots of fun!

Myrtle Avenue Plaza 
Myrtle Avenue from Grand Avenue to Emerson Place, Brooklyn
4:00pm – 6:00pm Myrtle Avenue Monster Mash 
The annual Halloween dance party on Myrtle Avenue is back with games, treats, a DJ, dancing and a special Thriller Dance off.

Quisqueya Plaza 
Dyckman Street between Broadway and Seaman Avenue
3:00pm – Halloween Parade Spooktacular
3:00pm – 8:00pm – Quisqueya Plaza’s First Halloween Party!
Join in the fun with games, food, beverage, and prizes for the best costume!

Open Streets Background 
In May 2021, the New York City Council passed legislation to make Open Streets a permanent program. This bill codifies the Open Streets program as part of the City’s administrative code. Through a permanent Open Street program, DOT has created a portal of engagement with the public to allow for a range of activities that promote safe and accessible transportation, economic development, support schools, and provide new ways for New Yorkers to enjoy cultural programming and build community. More on the program, including how to apply, can be found at nyc.gov/openstreets

“From farmer’s markets to tai chi to kids’ games and more, our Open Streets and the programming they offer have been revolutionary for our city on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. Turning these spaces into spooky hubs of haunted Halloween fun for families next week is yet another incredible example of why the Open Streets program is so great,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “On behalf of families from Jackson Heights, Woodside Flushing, Astoria and Addisleigh Park, I thank the DOT for the activation of these open streets for the holiday.”

“Halloween is a tradition enjoyed by people of all ages, and the Trick-or-Streets project will guarantee a safe festivity packed weekend,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “I commend New York City Mayor Adams and Commissioner Rodriguez on the Trick-or-Streets initiative to help keep residents out of harm’s way this Halloween.”

“Nothing could be sweeter than trick-or-treating on the 34th Avenue Open Street. This transformative project epitomizes the benefits of repurposing the city’s street space to emphasize pedestrian and non-motorized traffic, and the news that the work to make 34th Avenue a permanent Open Street is largely complete couldn’t come at a better time,” said Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC. We’re also absolutely elated that the Adams administration is giving the city’s kids the opportunity to celebrate Halloween on dozens of car-free streets next Monday. Advocates have been urging the city to do this for years, and we hope that this all-treat and no-trick policy will continue to expand in coming years.” 

“Car-free streets are safe streets. Extending the hours of Open Streets on Halloween will protect young people trick-or-treating,” said Elizabeth Adams, Senior Director of Advocacy and Organizing at Transportation Alternatives. “New Yorkers deserve permanent, 24/7 Open Streets year-round. 34th Avenue can and should be a model of what’s possible when we build streets for people.”

With additional bike lanes, enhanced safety measures, and more open space, all while serving as a central gathering place for our school children, 34th Ave is the quintessential Open Street design,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. Kudos to Mayor Adams and Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez for transforming this 1.3 mile stretch in Jackson heights—already a major destination with its rich history and diversity—into one of New York City’s safest neighborhoods to explore. And speaking of safety, NYLCV is thrilled with the “Trick-or-Streets” program, which means our trick-or-treaters can worry more about dodging zombies and werewolves and less about cars and trucks.”

“The 34th Avenue Open Street project is a win for all people living in this area. This is a good initiative to support safe and accessible streets for people with disabilities. We must ensure that the streets are clear of traffic hazards that could injure people with disabilities,” said Sharon McLennon-Wier, Ph.D., MSEd., CRC, LMHC, executive director, Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York.