COVID May Have a Lasting Impact on NYC Streets

As one of the worst places for traffic, NYC streets are not the place for the faint of heart. When the pandemic shut down NYC, many residents took to outdoor venues like city streets to see their friends. While the pandemic may be clearing out and the cars are returning, the traffic may be worse than ever.  The pedestrians don’t plan on going anywhere. 

COVID’s Lasting Impact on NYC Streets

While restaurants had to get creative last year to accommodate the city’s indoor COVID restrictions, many believe the outdoor venues are here to stay. Even though indoor dining has resumed in NYC — no masks or vaccine cards required — outdoor dining decks are still common. They are in former parking lanes and are more plentiful than ever. Meanwhile, the city is expanding its Open Streets program, which closes roadways to vehicles and opens them to pedestrians. The program gives pedestrians more safe room to exercise. 

The program’s expansion increases foot traffic along struggling business corridors. It also gives lower-income neighborhoods similar opportunities as higher-profile and wealthier enclaves.

New York’s streets, famous for stickball in all the old movies, were turned over nearly completely to vehicles in the automobile age, except for the occasional summer street fair.

Some city leaders have sought to “reinvent and repurpose the use of our streets,” said transportation commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez. She wants more promenades for outdoor gatherings or safe spaces for the return of playing, or stickball of the mid-1900s. 

This isn’t a new plan, as Michael Bloomberg expanded the bike lanes decades ago, beginning the process of reevaluating the use of the city streets. However, the pandemic may have been the jump start the program needed. For drivers in the city, though, this may not be the news they are hoping to hear as the already congested streets may be getting smaller citywide…for good.