By Joseph Morales
Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending New York City’s largest ever Car-Free Earth Day celebration and opening day for this year’s open streets season. On Car-Free Earth Day, more than 100 streets across all 5 boroughs were closed to car traffic and offered an array of activities from educational workshops to sports clinics and performances through 150 partners that included city agencies, community groups and more. In addition, over 100 open streets, 22 plazas and 1,000 miles of the NYC Bike Network were connected to streets that were closed to vehicles for Car-Free Earth Day. Citi Bike offered unlimited 30 minute rides for free via a promo code. There truly was something for everyone.
Initiated in 2016 on a few Manhattan streets, the purpose of Car-Free Earth Day is to celebrate the planet and bring awareness to the negative impact carbon emissions have on the environment as well as the other negative impacts of climate change. Corridors closed to car traffic and open to activities included Broadway between Times Square and Union Square in Manhattan and 3rd Avenue between 148th and 149th streets(The Hub) in The Bronx.
Transit Central 