City Council Bill Could Force De Blasio To Open NYC Streets

NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Bill de Blasio's resistance to opening city streets to pedestrians during the coronavirus pandemic might soon be overtaken by a City Council bill that aims to write 75 miles of social distancing space into law.

Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Manhattan Council Member Carlina Rivera announced Friday that they plan to introduce a bill during the council's first virtual meeting next week that would open up to 75 miles of streets to pedestrians and cyclists during pandemic, which has forced New Yorkers to stay home until at least May 15.

The bill comes after calls from Johnson, Rivera and scores of other elected officials for the mayor to close certain streets to cars after he scuttled his own pilot program to do so, citing enforcement problems and objections from the NYPD.

"While we want to work collaboratively with the administration to open streets, this issue is so important and so urgent that we are taking legislative action to make it happen ourselves," Johnson said Friday. "Other cities across the country and around the world have demonstrated that this is doable. There is no reason we can’t do this here."

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The mayor said Friday that he hadn't yet seen the details of the plan, but that he is open to talking to the council speaker about "any idea they have."

"On this particualr issue the important point is safety, health — that's what it comes down to," de Blasio said. "I want to make sure that anything we do with our streets keeps in mind the following: it does not put New Yorkers in danger."

De Blasio said his biggest concerns about opening streets is making sure emergency responders can get through and that New Yorkers don't walk in streets that aren't closed.

Plans from elected officials have most recently proposed using local community groups to enforce the open streets instead of the NYPD, though it's not clear whether that will be part of the City Council legislation. They contend that cones and signs can be used to warn drivers and that people will be spread out and alert enough that essential vehicles can get through when necessary.

So far, elected officials have proposed opening 16 streets on Manhattan's west side and opening up Broadway from Union Square to Central Park.

Johnson and Rivera didn't reveal which streets might be part of the bill, but said it will include all five boroughs and have a citywide target of 75 miles of streets. They plan to introduce it at the City Council meeting on April 22.

Transit advocates, who have made their own appeal to the mayor to open streets, said Friday that they are ready to help City Council implement the open streets.

“Streets account for roughly 80 percent of New York City’s public space, and their ambitious open streets program will give 75 miles of streets back to people, their rightful owner, when New Yorkers desperately need them," Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris said.

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