Stopping Traffic: What Open Streets Mean for Neighborhoods

From upper left, clockwise: Jackson Chabot (Open Plans), Emily Weidenhof (NYC DOT), Georgia Faulkner (The Hort), Lonnie Hardy (Caldwell Enrichment Programs), and John Surico (31st Ave Open Street)

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From the Greek agora to the Polynesian marae, communal gathering places have always existed in some form. But as cities have grown larger, the need for space has shifted and evolved along with neighborhoods. Streets, plazas, and other gathering spaces are influenced by the people who use them, and they have the potential to strengthen community connection in a big way.

In spring of 2020, when COVID-19 forced businesses and workplaces to shut down and indoor gatherings were discouraged, New York City began its official Open Streets initiative: closing blocks across the city to vehicles and making certain roadways available for foot traffic, outdoor dining, and recreation.

In this virtual program, NPC is excited to present a myriad of perspectives on the continuing experiment of Open Streets, and what it means for preserving neighborhoods. Community leaders from Jennings St. (Bronx) and 31st Ave (Queens) Open Streets partner organizations, along with representatives from The Hort and the NYC Department of Transportation’s Public Space division, will come together to discuss the concept’s past, present reality, and what the future might hold.

Moderator: Jackson Chabot (Director of Advocacy & Organizing, Open Plans)

Jackson joined Open Plans in June of 2020, and currently serves as Treasurer of the New York Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association. He has led the advocacy efforts for Open Plan’s proposal to create an Office of Public Space Management (OPSM). Jackson’s advocacy starts in the streets and public spaces and includes building relationships with elected officials, media, and co-hosting panels to advance the OPSM proposal. He also authors and contributes to written pieces on public space. These efforts contributed to the OPSM proposal being included in Maya Wiley’s Community First Climate Action plan. Before joining Open Plans, Jackson graduated from Pratt Institute with a Master's in Urban Placemaking and Management and worked at Project for Public Spaces.

Speakers:

John Surico (Chair, 31st Ave Open Street Collective, Inc.)

John Surico lives in Queens and is Chair of the 31st Ave Open Street Collective. He is also a journalist, teacher and researcher, focusing specifically on issues of mobility, sustainability and open space. His reporting can be regularly found in The New York Times, Bloomberg, VICE, and elsewhere, and he holds a Master of Science in Transport & City Planning from University College London’s The Bartlett School of Planning. He currently teaches undergraduate reporting on cities at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, and serves as the Senior Fellow for Climate and Opportunity at the Center for an Urban Future.

Lonnie Hardy (Director, Caldwell Enrichment Programs Inc.)

Caldwell runs after-school programs with goals of keeping teens off the street, creating a safe place for education and recreation, seeing “youth at risk” as “youth with promise,” providing them with opportunities for advancement and achievement. Caldwell is the partner organization who maintains the Open Street on Jennings St. in the Bronx.

Emily Weidenhof (Director of Public Space, New York City Department of Transportation)

The New York City Department of Transportation’s (NYCDOT) mission is to provide for the safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York and to maintain and enhance the transportation infrastructure crucial to the economic vitality and quality of life of its primary customers: city residents.

Georgia Faulkner (Senior Director of Partnerships, Programming and Public Space, The Horticultural Society of New York)

The Horticultural Society of New York has been the leading horticultural organization of New York City since 1900. They create green spaces in all neighborhoods as a vital part of social infrastructure, train people for jobs that grow and sustain green communities, and develop fresh approaches to improve New Yorkers’ health, well-being, and environment through horticulture.