2 New 'Open Boulevards' Coming To The Upper West Side: Mayor

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new type of street designation on Wednesday, and the first of its kind in Manhattan will be on the Upper West Side.

In his daily press conference, de Blasio announced the city is opening new "Open Boulevards." The new program will enhance and expand 10 multi-block Open Street corridors that will feature cultural activities, community-based programming, landscaping and other beautification, and art installations.

"Open Boulevards takes the concept of Open Streets and supercharges it — multiple blocks in a row filled with restaurants, with performances, with community activities," the mayor said. "Great for the neighborhood, great for tourists too."

De Blasio said the city is ready to open 10 of these Open Boulevards, including two on the Upper West Side.

• Amsterdam Avenue (106th to 110th Street)
• Columbus Avenue (106th to 110th Street)

The area from 106th to 110th Street on Amsterdam is already an Open Street. It is not immediately clear how this stretch of blocks will be used differently moving forward besides the new possibility of artistic performances.

The Open Boulevard on Columbus Avenue will be the first time that stretch of streets is blocked off to prioritize cyclists, pedestrians, and restaurants.

“What we’re doing here is taking something that will be permanent — Open Streets — and something else that will be permanent — Open Restaurants — and we’re taking a bigger approach with the Open Boulevards and creating these focal points where people can go on for multiple blocks and really experience the joy of this,” de Blasio added during his Wednesday press conference.

The mayor did not give an exact date for when the Upper West Side Open Boulevards would officially open.

You can check out the Open Street sections that already exist on the Upper West Side on the Department of Transportation's website.