The proposed budget allocates $2 million to Summer Streets and Open Streets, less than the $2.1 million allocated by the Adams administration last year.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed budget does not include expanded funding for Open Streets despite the mayor’s promise to grow the program, reports David Meyer in Streetsblog NYC.
The program is allocated just $2 million, less than the $2.1 million budgeted by the Adams administration for last year and far below the $5 million that DOT officials say is needed to keep the program running at pandemic-era capacity. According to the Mamdani administration, the $2 million is “a down payment to support the programs as the administration explores bold new ideas for our streets.”
“It's not clear how much of Mamdani's proposed $2 million will go to Open Streets versus Summer Streets, an older program that bars cars on miles of roadways for recreational activities on five Saturdays in summer,” Meyer adds.
Open Streets has been shown to help increase jobs and reduce storefront vacancies, giving the city more tax revenue. “Another study, released last month by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, found job growth on non-school Open Streets also outpaced other parts of the city.”
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