Permanent Car-Free Streets in Manhattan's Meatpacking District

The local Business Improvement District has decided to permanently block cars from a large swath of Manhattan's Meatpacking District.

1 minute read

August 11, 2021, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


People gather on a street with no cars during the L.E.A.F. Festival of Flowers in the Meatpacking District of New York City.

The L.E.A.F. Festival of Flowers was held in June 2021 in the Meatpacking District of New York City. | rblmfr / Shutterstock

"The streets of Manhattan’s touristy Meatpacking District are going car-free forever after Mayor Bill de Blasio closed them and dozens of others to regular car traffic during the height of COVID," reports David Meyer.

Cars will be blocked from Gansevoort Street, Little West 12th Street, and West 13th Street between Ninth Avenue and Washington Street. Hexagon-shaped planter barricades will be used to block cars from the streets. "The hexagonal shape of the barriers represents that unique geography — referencing the angle that Greenwich Village streets meet the rest of the Manhattan grid." That connection between the barricades and the neighborhood was first reported by Shaye Weaver in a separate article for Time Out.

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 in New York Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Orange and white vintage-look streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024

The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

April 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Green and silver Max BRT bus at station in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding

In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

April 4 - Colorado Public Radio

Low view of separated bike lanes in middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome visible at end of street at night.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy

The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

April 4 - Grist