Streets in portions of Astoria and Sunnyside will be car-free for some Saturdays in August as part of the expansion of the city’s “Summer Streets” program that began in Manhattan last year.
“The Summer Streets initiative was such a success for both businesses and the public – with 50,000 visitors – that today I’m proud to announce that we are bringing it back,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg during a press conference in Brooklyn on Monday, June 29. “This year, we’ve expanded the Summer Streets program to bring the fun to all five boroughs.”
Beginning on August 1 and continuing for the rest of the Saturdays during the month, the city will close down 46th Street between Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue to cars from noon to 7 p.m. and replace the cars with open space and events for community residents to enjoy.
“We want people to know they don’t have to go out of the neighborhood to enjoy a nice Saturday afternoon,” said Alyssa Bonilla, Executive Director of Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, which is sponsoring the event.
In addition to having tables and chairs set up as the main feature of the plaza, Bonilla said they are planning some special events for the car-free Saturdays. Already, they have scheduled a memorial concert in honor of the famous American jazz musician Bismark “Bix” Beiderbecke for August 8, and there is a free program for children planned in connection with the Queens Library for August 22.
Meanwhile, just a short distance away in Astoria, Shore Boulevard between Astoria Park South and Ditmars Boulevard will close to cars for three consecutive Sundays, beginning August 9.
“This program is designed to help make our streets a friendlier place to envision our streets as more than just a place for where they can go from A to B,” said Jules Corkery, who is the Co-Chair of the Astoria Park Alliance, that is sponsoring the Astoria portion of the program.
This year, 14 sites throughout the city will participate in the “Summer Streets” program, which originated last year when the city closed 6.9 miles of streets from the Brooklyn Bridge via Lafayette/Centre Streets, 4th Avenue and Park Avenue up to 72nd Street.
The city will close that same stretch – the largest area in the “Summer Streets” program –again this year on August 8, 15 and 22, while key cross-town streets will remain open to vehicles crossing the route.
“This is only its second year, but “Summer Streets” is already a New York tradition,” said city Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.
During the “Summer Streets” announcement, Bloomberg and city officials also highlighted 1,500 free summer events taking place throughout the city that people can enjoy.
In Queens, there are free performances at Queens Theater in the Park, a free summer concert series at Flushing Town Hall and outdoor cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park just to name a few.
In order to view a complete listing of free events throughout the city, log onto www.nyc.gov and check out the citywide events calendar.
