Three Meatpacking District Streets To Open For Social Distancing

MEATPACKING DISTRICT, NY — Downtown Manhattan residents will have a few more blocks of space to move around starting Thursday when streets in the Meatpacking District open in the next phase of the mayor's "Open Streets" plan.

About a half-mile of roadway spread across West 17th, West 13th and Little West 12th Street will be closed to cars and open to foot and bike traffic starting May 14 as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's Open Streets plan to create more space for social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Meatpacking blocks are among 12 new miles of Open Streets that will become available across the five boroughs this week.

“Now that warmer weather has arrived, New Yorkers will need more options to enjoy the outdoors at a safe, social distance,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We’re grateful to all our local partners, and we believe new bike lanes will lay the groundwork for a cycling surge in the months and years to come.”

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The new open streets are part of the city's goal of eventually opening 100 miles of streets to give New Yorkers social distance-friendly outdoor spaces to roam. The 12 new miles opening this week will bring New York City's total to about 30 miles.

So far in Manhattan, open streets include sections of Broadway and several spots Uptown.

The streets in the Meatpacking District will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be controlled by the Meatpacking District Business Improvement District.

Here's where they are:

• West 17th Street from 10th Avenue to Eighth Avenue, about .33 miles
• West 13th Street from Ninth Avenue to Washington Street, about .13 miles
• Little West 12th Street from Ninth Avenue to Washington Street, about .09 miles

Streets opening up Thursday in Manhattan also include a block on Hudson Boulevard East and Hudson Boulevard West, about a half mile in the Upper West Side and a small stretch of 114th Street in Harlem.

City Hall first reached its agreement with City Council — which was pushing a plan to force the city to pedestrianize streets — in late April.

It came after a bill introduced by the City Council during the body's first remote meeting proposed opening up 75 miles of city streets for pedestrian use. Other elected officials have proposed opening 16 streets on Manhattan's west side and opening up Broadway from Union Square to Central Park.

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