Summer Streets Begins This Weekend With First Time Expanded Operating Hours, Record Programming for New Yorkers to Enjoy

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2024
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Summer Streets Begins This Weekend With First Time Expanded Operating Hours, Record Programming for New Yorkers to Enjoy

Summer Streets to Start Saturday July 27 in Queens and Staten Island With Two Extra Hours

New Yorkers Will Again Enjoy Nearly 20 Miles of Car-Free Streets and Expanded Programming in All Five Boroughs Over Five Saturdays in July and August

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today reminds New Yorkers that Summer Streets, part of Mayor Eric Adams's Summer of Possibility, begins this weekend in Queens and Staten Island, with its longest-ever operating hours and a record amount of programming to enjoy. Spanning nearly 20 miles, designated Summer Streets corridors will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., representing a 33 percent increase in operating hours. This expansion underscores NYC DOT's ongoing dedication to enhancing this popular summer initiative, following the successful 2023 expansion that introduced Summer Streets to all boroughs and north to Harlem in Manhattan.

"Experience an unforgettable summer in the city as Summer Streets returns bigger and better than ever, offering extended hours for everyone to savor a beautiful summer day," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "There's nothing quite like summertime in New York City - from outdoor dining, free outdoor activities to vibrant open streets and art experiences, we have it all."

Saturday, July 27: Queens and Staten Island

Queens: Summer Streets will run along Vernon Boulevard, from 44th Drive to 30th Drive. The program will allow users to enjoy the entire Queens waterfront in Long Island City and Astoria.

Staten Island: Summer Streets will run along Broadway from Richmond Terrace to Clove Road. This new location will run through West Brighton, connecting attendees from Clove Lakes Park to Corporal Thompson Park.

Saturday, August 3, 10, and 17: Manhattan

Manhattan: Summer Streets will run from the Brooklyn Bridge all the way into Harlem, traveling along Lafayette Street and Park Avenue up to 109th Street; on Central Park North from Fifth Avenue to Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard; and along Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard from 110th Street to 125th Street.

Saturday, August 24: The Bronx and Brooklyn

The Bronx: Summer Streets will run along Grand Concourse from East Tremont Avenue to Mosholu Parkway. This program will open a major car-free corridor to people from the west Bronx to the north Bronx.

Brooklyn: Summer Streets will run along Eastern Parkway, from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue. It will connect Prospect Heights and Brownsville along the same route as the Labor Day Caribbean Day Parade - one of the city's most popular annual events.

More details on each route, programming, and the list of partners are available online.

Last year, over 500,000 individuals participated in Summer Streets, engaging in walking, running, cycling, or leisure activities across all five boroughs for the first time. This year's program promises to be the most ambitious yet since its inception in 2008, emphasizing equitable distribution of activities throughout the city. Summer Streets will take place over five Saturdays, from July 27 to August 24. Car-free routes will remain consistent across the boroughs, except for a newly introduced route on Staten Island.

This year, DOT issued an open call to select vibrant and interactive artworks to be installed along the Summer Streets routes across all five event dates. Each borough will have an interactive art installation from artist Cynthia Alberto and her studio, Weaving Hand, where visitors are invited to learn traditional weaving using unconventional materials and work together to create a large communal Summer Streets artwork. Experience 'Weaving Together 2024' at the 30 Drive and Vernon Boulevard Rest Stop in Queens or the Richmond Terrace and Broadway Rest Stop at Wayne Street on Staten Island this weekend. NYC Art Stop Letters are returning with four new designs by artist Yukiko Izumi which will be placed along the routes. Take a selfie with the letters on Vernon Boulevard at 31 Avenue in Queens and on Broadway at Skinner Lane on Staten Island. For up-to-date information on the locations of these art installations visit NYC DOT Art on Instagram @nyc_dotart.

"Join us in honoring our beautiful New York City! I am thrilled to bring 'Weaving Together 2024' to Summer Streets and proud to contribute to this awesome gathering. Just like a cloth, we are all woven together in this vibrant community. Summer Streets celebrates our people, city, and culture, bringing us together to enjoy the dynamic streets during these summer months," said Cynthia Alberto, artist of 'Weaving Together.'

"The design I worked on drew inspiration from the vibrant colors of summer and the various events and people bustling through Summer Streets. I hope my designs inspire others to try different sustainable transportation modes and activities at Summer Streets," said Yukiko Izumi, artist of NYC Art Stop Letters.

Through the support of Lyft and Citi, Citi Bike will offer free day passes for all riders on a classic Citi Bike for 24 hours. Riders can take advantage of the offer by using the promo code CITISUMMER24! on the Daypass tab of the Citi Bike App.

WABC-TV will serve as the official media sponsor of Summer Streets, along with sponsors I Love New York, Pumpspotting, the MTA and Grand Central, siggi's, Stonyfield, and C4 Energy. Community partners include the Police Athletic League, Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce celebrating Harlem Week 50, Five Borough Bike Club, Thai Community USA, Save the People, Museum of Urban Arts and many more.

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