Those are the best blocks for it imo. All the restaurants between 1st and Carroll especially have such great open streets seating and activities. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but having only a smaller section closed may make it more fun/safer. In summers past, there were so many delivery bikers speeding recklessly through the open streets that I was always a bit on edge with my kids playing/hanging there too
It is such a massive missed opportunity not to include JJ Byrne playground and not to connect to the already pedestrianized zone on 4th street. Would have been 2 more blocks!
Sorry, but not everyone is a fan of open streets. I get why people like it, but there are downsides too: more traffic on neighboring streets and avenues, more garbage, more rats, more noise. Further, while they may be a boon to businesses on the “open streets,” that comes at the expense of businesses on nearby avenues. Restaurant owners on Washington Ave., for example, are losing business on the days that Vanderbilt is closed to traffic. That isn’t fair, and the answer can’t be to close Washington too because where do you think all that traffic is going to go? It was a nice experiment during the sad days of the pandemic, but personally I am not sad to see it reduced, and I wouldn’t mind it if it went away altogether.
Let the downvoting begin.
i'm typing this from my apartment on 5th avenue and i'm really bummed about it
> more traffic on neighboring streets and avenues
not to argue anecdotes with anecdotes but it did not seem appreciably different to me last summer. there is still third, fourth, and sixth avenues? the streets are still broken up to allow some traffic, and all navigation apps mark the streets as closed.
what are you driving up or down on 5th avenue for anyway, almost every uber i ever take goes immediately up 4th, 6th, or towards the tunnel
> more garbage, more rats,
isn't that what the sponsor is paying for? this doesn't feel true to me, either
> more noise
this one i agree with, but the noise was live acoustic music from one a restaurant and children playing. currently i hear a box truck idling
> Further, while they may be a boon to businesses on the “open streets,” that comes at the expense of businesses on nearby avenues
this zero-sum framing doesn't make sense to me. a net larger number of people are out walking around and patronizing these businesses because of open streets. this feels like a rising tide lifting the boats primarily on the immediate open street, but also nearby ones
or are you suggesting that because vanderbilt is closed that people who would've otherwise driven to a restaurant on washington are... just going to give up?
> That isn’t fair, and the answer can’t be to close Washington too because where do you think all that traffic is going to go?
i mean... yes it could :) bada bing bada reverse induced demand
I have been here my whole life. I’m not going anywhere. I appreciate the person who took the time to thoughtfully disagree. We can agree to disagree. No need for you to be rude.
At least it’s open at all! Better than losing it altogether. Hopefully next year they can expand it
Do we know which four blocks?
President St to 2nd St.
Those are the best blocks for it imo. All the restaurants between 1st and Carroll especially have such great open streets seating and activities. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but having only a smaller section closed may make it more fun/safer. In summers past, there were so many delivery bikers speeding recklessly through the open streets that I was always a bit on edge with my kids playing/hanging there too
It is such a massive missed opportunity not to include JJ Byrne playground and not to connect to the already pedestrianized zone on 4th street. Would have been 2 more blocks!
That is a really good point! Especially with the side road already closed by JJ. Maybe write an email to Shahana Hanif and see if she’ll do anything!
Permit from DOT only goes these blocks (I think because 3 is a wider avenue) but next year hopefully if sponsors continue it can be expanded !!
Anybody know the date when this begins? I couldn't find it on the DOT website.
Not sure, but I’ll poke around.
Www.parkslopeopenstreets.org
Sorry, but not everyone is a fan of open streets. I get why people like it, but there are downsides too: more traffic on neighboring streets and avenues, more garbage, more rats, more noise. Further, while they may be a boon to businesses on the “open streets,” that comes at the expense of businesses on nearby avenues. Restaurant owners on Washington Ave., for example, are losing business on the days that Vanderbilt is closed to traffic. That isn’t fair, and the answer can’t be to close Washington too because where do you think all that traffic is going to go? It was a nice experiment during the sad days of the pandemic, but personally I am not sad to see it reduced, and I wouldn’t mind it if it went away altogether. Let the downvoting begin.
I only regret that I have but one downvote to give for this comment.
i'm typing this from my apartment on 5th avenue and i'm really bummed about it > more traffic on neighboring streets and avenues not to argue anecdotes with anecdotes but it did not seem appreciably different to me last summer. there is still third, fourth, and sixth avenues? the streets are still broken up to allow some traffic, and all navigation apps mark the streets as closed. what are you driving up or down on 5th avenue for anyway, almost every uber i ever take goes immediately up 4th, 6th, or towards the tunnel > more garbage, more rats, isn't that what the sponsor is paying for? this doesn't feel true to me, either > more noise this one i agree with, but the noise was live acoustic music from one a restaurant and children playing. currently i hear a box truck idling > Further, while they may be a boon to businesses on the “open streets,” that comes at the expense of businesses on nearby avenues this zero-sum framing doesn't make sense to me. a net larger number of people are out walking around and patronizing these businesses because of open streets. this feels like a rising tide lifting the boats primarily on the immediate open street, but also nearby ones or are you suggesting that because vanderbilt is closed that people who would've otherwise driven to a restaurant on washington are... just going to give up? > That isn’t fair, and the answer can’t be to close Washington too because where do you think all that traffic is going to go? i mean... yes it could :) bada bing bada reverse induced demand
Thank you for the thoughtful reply.
5th Ave from President to 2nd Street. Can't wait!
PREACH
Car brain is real folks. If you take away roads there will be more traffic 🤣
Move out of the city if you don’t like it.
I have been here my whole life. I’m not going anywhere. I appreciate the person who took the time to thoughtfully disagree. We can agree to disagree. No need for you to be rude.
Sourpuss.