Open Streets

People walking down Bourbon Street in New Orleans at night.

Bourbon Street Could Be a Model for Pedestrian Spaces

The conversation around pedestrianizing public streets isn’t new — think Times Square. Could one of America’s oldest streets lead the way in a revival of the pedestrian mall?

March 6, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Times Square in New York City empty during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project

Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.

December 1, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

Blue sign with white sillhouettes indicating parent and child crossing street.

Lessons in Child-Friendly Cities From Europe

How parklets, open streets, and green spaces make cities safer and friendlier for children and families.

November 20, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

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.

NYC Open Streets Program Faces Lawsuit

A group of residents is charging the city with violating accessibility requirements by blocking vehicular traffic on some blocks.

April 21, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

Children sit on temporary street furniture next to book cart at pop-up reading event at open streets event in Sunset Park in New York City.

Meet NYC’s New Office of Livable Streets

The NYC DOT program will build on pandemic-era initiatives to promote safe and comfortable streets that enhance community and expand uses beyond just moving cars.

April 18, 2024 - Next City

Man with red bicycle walks bike down 'open street' with vendor booths in New York City.

New York Open Streets Shrinking Dramatically

As city funding runs out, the number of miles in open streets projects has dwindled from 83 to just 20.

March 14, 2024 - Curbed

People on bikes riding across 4th Street Bridge in Los Angeles during 2010 CicLAvia event.

LA Metro Could Slash Open Streets Funding

Despite the program’s success across the region and rising production costs, Los Angeles-area events could receive less funding in the coming year.

January 25, 2024 - Streetsblog LA

View of AUstin Texas skyline from across rover.

Austin Relaunches Open Streets Program

‘Living Streets’ lets residents apply for three types of temporary or semi-permanent street closures.

November 19, 2023 - Austin Towers

Tourists holding up cameraphones taking photos of Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City.

New York to Expand Holiday Open Streets

The city is making more areas open only to pedestrian traffic in Midtown in anticipation of holiday crowds.

November 9, 2023 - NBC New York

Pike Place Market in Seattle at twilight with neon market sign and cars passing through.

Pike Place Market Vendors Open to Pedestrianization

A survey of local business owners and vendors upends the common belief that frontline workers don’t support restricting vehicle access to the iconic Seattle market.

October 13, 2023 - The Urbanist

Photo of people biking and walking on pedestrianized street with superimposed yellow Atlanta Streets Alive logo in center.

Atlanta Streets Alive Returns

The city’s open streets event is back after a four-year hiatus.

September 28, 2023 - Urbanize Atlanta

Google street view of back of brick building housing bar in Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville Opens First Permanent Parklet

The city recently created a parklet permit process designed to help local businesses replace street parking with interactive public spaces.

September 21, 2023 - Nashville Tennessean

Close-up of blue "Slow Down - Shared Street" sign on orange and white barricade in Denver, Colorado.

Denver Plans to Make Some Open Streets Permanent

The city is moving to institutionalize segments of streets that were successfully pedestrianized during the pandemic.

September 13, 2023 - The Denver Post

Diverse people of all ages walking and biking at Minneapolis Open Streets event with temporary festival booths along the sides of the street

Future of Minneapolis Open Streets in Question

The city denied a request for funding and ended its contract with the organizing nonprofit, placing future events in jeopardy.

August 25, 2023 - Axios

View down Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. capitol in background and bike lane in middle of street

Op-Ed: How to Make Over Pennsylvania Avenue

The Washington, D.C. street briefly regained its former vibrancy during the pandemic. A proposed redesign could bring it back once again.

August 6, 2023 - The Washington Post

Pedestrians walk down car-free Mont-Royal Avenue next to green outdoor dining kiosks in Montreal, Canada

Car-Free Montreal Street Hailed as Success

A summer pedestrianization project is widely popular with residents and local businesses.

July 13, 2023 - The Globe and Mail

A street sign reads Old Town Toronto, St. Lawrence Market, Market Street

A Car-Free Summer on Toronto’s Market Street

The I Heart Market Street program will allow pedestrians a car-free space adjacent to Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market.

June 16, 2023 - blogTO

Aerial view of Monument Circle with tall statue on post in middle of traffic circle area in Indianapolis, Indiana

Downtown Indy to Gain New Car-Free Spaces

A summer program will turn Monument Circle into a public park and event space, and plans are in development to make a segment of Georgia Street safer and more walkable.

June 8, 2023 - Axios

Outdoor dining patios on street closed to car traffic in New York City

NYC Announces $30M for Open Streets Projects

The funding is designed to support open streets and public space projects in underresourced neighborhoods.

May 19, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

Main Street Sign with Traffic Light in the Background in Downtown Houston, Texas

Part of Houston’s Main Street to Be Permanently Pedestrianized

A seven-block stretch downtown will remain closed to cars after the success of a pandemic-era outdoor dining program.

March 30, 2023 - Houston Chronicle

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