Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Streetfilms

Streetfilms: Get a Load of How Abnormal New York is Right Now

Park Avenue on Friday, March 20, 2020. Photo: Clarence Eckerson Jr.

I hadn't been on my bicycle in over a week, choosing to walk and run for exercise during the coronavirus (and observing recommended precautions), but I was curious what my normal commute looked like. So on Friday, I bicycled from Jackson Heights into Manhattan.

Comparing my new footage to my many reels of archive footage provides a reminder of how much we've lost — but also allows us to imagine what kind of city we could have when we emerge from this pandemic.

It could be great (if we don't mess it up).

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Andy Byford’s ‘Trump Card’ On Penn Station Keeps Wrecking New York’s Infrastructure Projects

What will become of the Amtrak executive's plans for Penn Station under President Trump?

February 6, 2026

FLASHBACK: What Happened To Car-Free ‘Snow Routes’ — And Could They Have Helped City Clear the Streets?

Remember those bright red signs that banned parking from snow emergency routes? Here is the curious story of how New York City abandoned a key component of its snow removal system.

February 6, 2026

Council Transportation Chair Vows To Take On Drivers: ‘I Don’t Want To Just Futz Around the Edges’

Streetsblog grilled new chairman Shaun Abreu, who says he wants to bring more life and fewer cars to the street.

February 6, 2026

Friday’s Headlines: New York’s Strongest Edition

It's still snow problem around town. Plus other news.

February 6, 2026

Budget Crunch: Advocates Push Mamdani For Massive Fair Fares Expansion

The expansion would offer free transit on the subway and bus for people making up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which is not a lot.

February 5, 2026
See all posts