Open Streets

'Open Streets' Have an Accessibility Problem
The rush to utilize sidewalk space for outdoor seating and parklets has created new obstacles for people with disabilities.

Learning from D.C.'s Slow Streets Programs
"Slow streets" is a popular concept, but residents and community advocates say officials have to do more to make implementation effective and equitable.

The Next Mayor Will Have to Decide in New York's Post-Pandemic Parking Conflicts
The ongoing political controversy about the priorities of the public realm in New York City is likely to last into the next mayoral administration.

CicLAvia Helping Restaurants Keep Outdoor Dining
CicLAvia is working with the city to make its "al fresco dining" program permanent.

Car-Free Streets Benefit Restaurants, Yelp Survey Shows
Restaurants in areas designated as "slow streets" during the pandemic saw a boost in consumer interest.

The Once and Future Park Avenue Promenade
The debate about whether the pedestrian-oriented changes made to the New York City streetscape during the pandemic should be permanent has a high-profile battleground on Park Avenue.

Op-Ed: Don't Reverse the Progress Made by 'Pandemic Streets'
In many cities, the public realm saw a drastic shift towards pedestrian-oriented infrastructure. The L.A. Times editorial board argues we should keep it that way.

Many Mayors Don't Expect Public Realm Changes to Stick, Survey Says
A third of mayors surveyed said that despite increased outdoor activity, many of the changes made in the public realm during the pandemic won't be a part of a new normal.

What Is the Future of London's 'Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods'?
As local councils debate making permanent changes implemented last year, can pedestrian and cycling advocates hold on to their victories?

How to Maintain Open Streets After the Pandemic
With more people getting back in their cars, can pedestrian-oriented open streets survive?

Did the Pandemic End the Car's Domination of New York Streets?
Imagining a post-car (or car-lite) New York City.

The Slow Streets Reckoning
Slow streets programs provided a quick short-term solution and paved the way for some permanent street closures and realignments. Now, these programs are getting a second look as community groups react to the changes.

Miami Beach Could Permanently Pedestrianize Ocean Drive
The city banned vehicle traffic from the popular street during the pandemic. Now, transportation planners hope to make the change permanent as part of a new plan to prioritize pedestrians and improve transportation in the Entertainment District.

Open Container Laws Ditched in Cincinnati's The Banks Entertainment District
The trend toward the liberalization of outdoor drinking laws continues in Cincinnati. The turned is prevalent enough that this isn't even the first example of a "designated outdoor refreshment area" on the Ohio River.

Arts Performances Take to the Streets
The New York City "Open Culture" program will offer artists of all kinds to move the stage to the street and other public spaces. It's like an open streets program for the arts.

Open Street Abandoned in New York
The New York Department of Transportation is changing the way it plans and manages open streets as political support for the concept wavers.

Opening Up Downtown Spaces for the Post-Pandemic City
Toronto's University Avenue is set for a major makeover, transforming nearly ten acres of pavement to connect with other open spaces to create a contiguous 90 acres of open space, ideal for safe outdoor street life.

How Oakland Is Fixing its Pandemic Planning Equity Problem
The Oakland Slow Streets program, one of the most controversial developments of the early pandemic, has evolved to become the Essential Places initiative, thanks to new planning practices and a commitment to equity in Oakland, California.

Strange Days: Outrage Absent as Businesses Reclaim Parking Spots
It took a pandemic, but the worldwide effort to move restaurant and retail businesses outside, at the expense of parking, is proving far less controversial than it would have before the coronavirus swept the globe.

New York Outdoor Dining, Open Streets Programs Now Permanent
New York City will now be measurably less car-centric for the indefinite future.
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