NYC DOT To Host Largest-Ever Open Streets Celebration In Honor Of Earth Day

New York City will host its largest yet open streets celebration for Earth Day on April 22nd with events in seven different locations that include that includes performances, fitness trainings, giveaways, and educational activities. The events will run from 10 am to 3 pm, and Citi Bike will offer free one-day passes to all riders.

“Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day is about encouraging New Yorkers to leave their vehicles at home and enjoying our city’s parks, plazas, and expanded network of Open Streets,” said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “This celebration offers an opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy activities at dozens of locations in communities around New York City. It also serves as a reminder that we only have one planet–and we must all do our part to reduce our carbon footprint and pay homage to the one beautiful planet we have.”

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 CARFREE23 in the Citi Bike app.

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. Today, the event spans 30 locations throughout the five boroughs, and involves over 80 open streets and plazas.

“Much like other great cities around the world, New York City wants to not only return these important public realm spaces back to the public for their enjoyment while increasing safety and supporting communities recovering from the pandemic–especially in the Chinatown impact zone area,” said Wellington Chen, Executive Director, Chinatown Partnership.

The Manhattan portions of the celebration are as follows:

Dyckman Street

Route: Broadway to La Marina

Programming Highlights: Dyckman Gardens to provide performances, Hudson River Community Sailing, Uptown Soccer, DOT Safety Education, Bameso, 511 Rideshare, Creative Art Works, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation, People’s Theatre Project, NYC Parks Canoe & Kayak Club, art making activities by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Lyft / Citi Bike.

St. Nicholas Avenue

Route: 181st Street to 190th Street

Programming Highlights: Washington Heights Business Improvement District, DCAS Fleet, DOT Bike Unit, Empire Clean Cities, Lotus Music and Dance, Jazz Power Initiative, Van Cortlandt Titans Youth Football Program, Inc., Riverstone Senior Life Services, Marching Cobras, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Bike New York, Collective for Arts, Music & Dance, Margaret V. Fitness, Fogo Azul, and Armory Foundation.

Broadway

Route: East 17th Street to West 42nd Street

Programming Highlights: Times Square Alliance, Broadway Green Alliance, 34th Street Partnership, Flatiron NoMad Partnership, and Union Square Partnership.