[Via @loisaida_oscc]
You may have noticed a few changes along the Open Street of Avenue B... this is courtesy of the newly formed Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition, described as "a community-led program providing safe, socially distanced recreation for our neighborhood."
For starters, volunteers have painted and repaired some of the barriers that are up along the Avenue from Sixth Street to 14th Street daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ...
[Top 2 photos by Stacie Joy]
The group has launched a Twitter and Instagram account...
As the newly formed Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition, we believe this should be a community-led program providing safe, socially distanced recreation for our neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/RiCfc7yzG3
— Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition (@Loisaida_OSCC) July 9, 2020
... where you can learn about upcoming events... and receive news alerts...
🚨Barrier protection alert!🚨 Strong winds today—please dismantle and set any barriers you see out today on Avenue B to the side, not blocking building entrances, with legs stacked behind crossbars to keep them from getting blown around. Safety first!
— Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition (@Loisaida_OSCC) July 10, 2020
If you're interested in volunteering to be an Avenue B Open Streets Ambassador, you can find a sign-up sheet here.
The city announced the Open Street plan in late May to help residents safely get some fresh air while social distancing. As we've noted, people have hidden or vandalized the barricades or they've been clipped by motorists or the FDNY...
A related item of interest... tomorrow (Tuesday night!), CB3's Transportation, Public Safety, & Environment Committee will hear the following item — FDNY: Fire safety concerns regarding Avenue B Open Street.
Here's the meeting info:
Tuesday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Online: https://zoom.us/j/97511826911
By Phone: +1 646 518 9805, +1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 975 1182 6911
Updated: Streetsblog has a post on this story here.
13 comments:
Thank you neighbors!!!
Let's hope this new plan works - for everyone.
Curious to see if these colorful non-NYPD-painted barriers are treated with more respect than the police-themed ones have been.
The Avenue B Open Street needs to be permanent and improved: Long term free car parking needs to be removed from 6th St to 14th St, letting Delivery trucks operate without the need to double park when making deliveris to businesses and residents. The food establishments will be able to serve more customers if they don't need to be confined to using only the parking spots in front of the businesses . It will improve the street experience for walkers, stroller pushers, scooter riders. The elders, the disabled, the Access-a-Ride users will have clear direct curb access. There are about 50 vacant storefronts out of about 120 total on Av B. This initiative has only upsides .
LOL what? @Choresh Wald
It's a roadway, of course that shouldn't be permanent. It's for transportation and how the city keeps it moving. It's a road. Anyway, I'm enjoying it for now though, like you. Take care.
A problem I never have walking around the City, but to each their own.
@anon 10:24 it will still be a roadway, just not a speedway. A slow zone, 5 MPH local traffic street . Just like it is today
$6 billion and the NYPD can't even provide proper barriers so the community has to fallback and build their own. Yeah the NYPD really wants to be a part of communities...
Well-intentioned, but by placing "5MPH" on the sign, that tells drivers: "OK to go through, at 5MPH"
Which is not what they want.
This needs to be rethought. MPH signs are for cars.
Seconded!
I passed by Ave B today and saw car after car driving through the avenue. They were sneaking through the sides of the barriers. Is that even allowed? Some people are just so stubborn, I guess.
Why not get rid of the taxpayer subsidized free parking spaces, and make this a permanent pedestrian park. Would be an amazing asset to the neighborhood. The car owners can pay rent, like all New Yorkers who want space, at a parking lot - where cars should be.
My hunch is the drivers don’t know they go all the way from 6-14 st, maybe? At least I certainly wouldn't want to deal with driving through them all. There are still some missing barricades, need replacements
from NYPD. So if you can’t see them you might just consider to keep going.
The bright painted ones are a very good upgrade in any case and a nice sense of community around here.
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