NYC ‘Summer Streets’ to return with longer hours for more car-free fun
Summer Streets 2022. Photo courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr
New York City’s “Summer Streets” program is returning next month with more time to enjoy car-free streets. The annual event closes several miles of street, allowing for fun outdoor recreation and activities on certain Saturdays. Previously only hosted in Manhattan, in 2023, the program was expanded to every borough. Not only will Summer Streets once again hit all five boroughs, but this year’s event will also last longer, with streets closed for an extra two hours, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Last year’s Summer Streets doubled the size of the year prior, offering nearly 20 miles of car-free streets in all five boroughs. In 2022, the program extended to East Harlem for the first time, reaching East 109th Street. In 2023, it extended further to West 25th Street.
This year, Summer Streets returns for five Saturdays between July 27 and August 24. All routes except for Staten Island remain the same as last year.
“This is two extra hours of outdoor activities; art, wellness, biking, entertaining, and programming for all New Yorkers,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said.
“We at DOT are playing our part to help New Yorkers have the best summer ever. The Adams administration is calling it the ‘summer of possibility.’ Crime is down, jobs are up, and we are making the city more and more lively.”
The 2024 Summer Streets will operate from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following locations:
Saturday, July 27
Queens: Vernon Boulevard between 44th Drive and 30th Road.
Staten Island: Broadway between Richmond Terrace and Clove Road.
Saturday, August 3, 10, and 17
Manhattan: From the Brooklyn Bridge to West 125th Street.
- Lafayette Street and Park Avenue between Brooklyn Bridge and East 109 Street
- East 109th Street between Park Avenue and 5th Avenue
- 5th Avenue between East 109th Street and Central Park North
- Central Park North between 5th Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard between Central Park North and West 125th Street
Saturday, August 24
Brooklyn: Eastern Parkway between Grand Army Plaza and Buffalo Avenue.
The Bronx: Grand Concourse between East Tremont Avenue and Mosholu Parkway.
According to the city, more than 500,000 people “walked, ran, cycled, or played” on Summer Streets last year. More details on this year’s planned activities and rest stops along the routes will be announced in the coming weeks.
The broader Open Streets program is also in effect, with more than 100 streets closed to vehicles to transform them into safe public spaces for recreation, programming, and more. This year’s program features new locations, including Audubon Avenue in Manhattan, Decatur Avenue in the Bronx, 62nd Street in Queens, and Bristol Street in Brooklyn.
“New York City is back — and with our Summer of Possibility — there has never been a better time to enjoy the five boroughs,” Adams said in a statement. “Whether you want to find a new job, enjoy a summer concert, enjoy our largest-ever summer streets program, or take part in so much more our city has to offer, our administration is working every day to ensure our city is working to give you the summer you want and deserve. This city is full of possibilities!”
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