This year Earth Day will be celebrated in the Big Apple, next Saturday, April 20, with an unprecedented number of streets where for a segment of time, cars will not be allowed to pass.
The plan will include 53 vehicle-free streets and squares across the five boroughs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with locations featuring public art and community programming, up from 30 locations in 2023.
The annual event organized by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), promotes activism and education around climate change, environmentalism and sustainable modes of transportation. These activities also mark the official start of the Open Streets and Public Space Programming season.
Car-Free Mother Earth Day in a megacity like the Big Apple was first launched in 2016 and selected certain streets in Manhattan to become motor vehicle-free zones to give new spaces to pedestrians, cyclists and local businesses.
Through the support of Lyft, on Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day, Citi Bike will offer unlimited 30-minute rides on a conventional bicycle for 24 hours. Riders can take advantage of the offer by using promo code CARFREE24 in the Citi Bike app.
NYC DOT also announced that it has selected four artists to create temporary works focused on the environment along certain routes.
Behind these activities, there is an awareness message about the need for New York City to reduce the number of vehicles on its streets, reduce toxic carbon emissions, and seek micromobility alternatives, through bike lanes and expanded streets, to that New Yorkers can move in a more “ecological” way in congested urban spaces.
“It is a day to remember that we only have one planet. And we must all do our part to reduce our carbon footprint and respect our environment,” said Ydanis Rodríguez, NYC DOT Commissioner.
Open streets and art
This launch of the 2024 Open Streets season comes after NYC DOT awarded $30 million in contracts to expand the resources available for plazas and other public spaces.
The municipal transportation agency also announced that it has selected four artists to create temporary works focused on the environment along certain routes.
It was confirmed that Natalie Wood will present EcoHarmony, a group of used furniture transformed into organic sculptures, through living plants, showing the potential of nature to recover the built environment. To foster a nurturing relationship with our planet, she is giving away 1,000 plants.
will also be presented Kelp Parade, a collaborative piece between Amanda Thackray and Wendel Jeffrey, which will bring a kelp forest to life through 24 flags made from recycled plastic bags, activated by motion and sound throughout the day. And Lyubava Kroll will design a series of graphics Keep NYC Green for aluminum signs, installed on street lighting poles in all districts that envision a greener future for our city.
Where?
Manhattan
- Dyckman Street
Route: Broadway to La Marina
- Saint Nicholas Avenue
Route: Calle 181 to Calle 190
- Broadway Avenue
Route: East 17th Street to West 46th Street
Brooklyn
- Fifth Avenue
Route: Calle 40 to Calle 45
Queens
- Woodside Avenue
Route: Calle 75 to Calle 78
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
- Exclusive event locations and 47 additional community-organized locations can be found on the web portal: nyc.gov/carfreenyc.