Open Streets Season with Expanded Celebration for Car-Free Earth Day

NYC DOT will celebrate the 54th anniversary of Earth Day on Saturday, April 20, with seven signature car-free streets and 46 community-organized locations as part of Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day

Citi Bike will offer free one-day passes to all riders

New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced today the largest-ever Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day — with a record number of car-free streets and extended hours of operation. The annual event, hosted by NYC DOT, makes select city streets car-free and promotes activism and education surrounding climate change, environmentalism, and sustainable modes of transportation. The event also marks the official start of the city’s Open Streets and Public Space Programming season. 

“Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day encourages New Yorkers to leave their vehicles at home and appreciate our streets as shared open spaces for all,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “As part of the city’s largest-ever Car-Free Earth Day celebration, will be hosting programming, music, and other activities at dozens of car-free streets around New York City. And new, temporary public art will help us remember: We only have one planet — and we must all do our part to reduce our carbon footprint and respect our environment.”

This year’s Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day, sponsored by WABC, will include 53 car-free streets and plazas across the five boroughs, with locations featuring public art or community programming—up from 30 locations as part of 2023’s event. NYC DOT will also be extending car-free operations by one hour, with car-free streets running from 10 am and 4 pm.

Through the support of Lyft, on Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day, Citi Bike will offer unlimited 30-minute rides on a classic Citi Bike for 24 hours. Riders can take advantage of the offer by using the promo code CARFREE24 in the Citi Bike app.

Signature event locations are listed below and the additional 46 community-organized locations can be found at nyc.gov/carfreenyc. NYC DOT also announced it has selected four artists to provide temporary, environmentally focused works along certain routes. Natalie Wood will be presenting EcoHarmony, a grouping of repurposed furniture transformed into luscious organic sculptures through live plants, showcasing the potential of nature reclaiming the built environment. To foster a nurturing relationship with our planet, she will be giving away 1,000 plants. Kelp Parade, a collaborative piece between Amanda Thackray and Wendel Jeffrey, will bring a dynamic kelp forest to life through 24 flags made from upcycled plastic bags, activated through movement and sound throughout the day. And Lyubava Kroll will be designing a series of Keep NYC Green graphics for aluminum signage installed on streetlight poles throughout the boroughs that envision a greener future for our city. 

ABOUT CAR-FREE EARTH DAY

First launched in 2016, Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day originally converted select Manhattan streets into public plazas and car-free streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and local businesses. The launch of the 2024 Open Street season comes after the NYC DOT has awarded $30 million in contracts to expand resources available to in-need Open Streets, plazas, and other public spaces. Expanded resources include staffing, permitting and administrative support, community outreach, promotion, fundraising, grant writing, and more.

SIGNATURE EVENT LOCATIONS

Manhattan
Dyckman Street
Route: Broadway to La Marina
St. Nicholas Avenue
Route: 181st Street to 190th Street
Broadway
Route: East 17th Street to West 46th Street

Brooklyn
Fifth Avenue
Route: 40th Street to 45th Street

Queens
Woodside Avenue
Route: 75th Street to 78th Street

The Bronx
East 188th Street
Route: East Fordham Road to Grand Concourse
Creston Avenue
Route: East 188th Street to East Fordham Road

Staten Island
Port Richmond Avenue
Route: Post Avenue to Castleton Avenue