Bed-Stuy To Get Another 'Open Street' On Jefferson Avenue

BED-STUY, BROOKLYN — Another block in Bed-Stuy will close to cars as part of the city's Open Streets program, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced.

Jefferson Avenue from Patchen Avenue to Malcolm X Boulevard was one of several new "Open Streets" — or blocks closed to cars at certain times to allow more room for pedestrians and cyclists to social distance — announced by the mayor last week.

It will be managed by the 700 Jefferson Avenue Block Association.

The new .15-mile stretch will join several other blocks in Bed-Stuy that joined the Open Streets program in May.

Those include a stretch on Macon Street, a section of Arlington Place and part of Somers Street.

De Blasio also announced that some "underused" Open Streets in Brooklyn will be opened back up to cars. Those include a stretch of Parkside Avenue and part of East Seventh Street.

The city so far has about 70 miles of Open Streets, though the program has been criticized for falling short of its potential.

A study by Transportation Alternatives found about half of New York City's "Open Streets" are roughly the length of a city block and most stretches dot the city in an unconnected patchwork that stifles their full potential.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Open Streets program in April amid rising coronavirus numbers and calls to give cooped up New Yorkers safe, socially-distance spaces to go outside. He initially resisted giving over streets to pedestrians and bicyclists, but committed to setting up 100 miles across the city.