Sunday was a celebration by and for the people of Jackson Heights as the 34th Avenue open street — the city's self-proclaimed "gold standard" of car-light spaces — was officially co-named "Paseo Park."
The name isn't new, of course, the Department of Transportation has been using that name for the stretch between 69th Street and Junction Boulevard ever since it started transitioning the open street into a more permanent configuration with plaza blocks (totally car free) and other features to reduce the impact of cars on a street with six schools.
Speaker after speaker praised the current design, the result of years of volunteer work by people setting out barricades every morning and taking them in at night, plus other volunteers who advocated for the permanent design.
Many remember what the roadway was before the pandemic. "People used this road as a speedway to get to somewhere else," said Luz Maria Mercado of the Alliance for Paseo Park.
We all know what happened next: The pandemic hit, and Jackson Heights and neighboring Corona were the epicenter. Very quickly, the then-de Blasio administration figured out that people needed car-free spaces to exercise or socialize outdoors with enough room to remain socially distant. (The administration had some initial missteps, which Streetsblog aggressively documented, but found its footing relatively quickly.)
"This park was born of trauma," said Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas. She cheered the volunteers, but also reiterated that it's no accident that crashes and injuries go down when cars are banished.
"There has been a 70-percent reduction in crashes — that is life-saving," she said. "That means our children can be out safely, can learn to ride their bike, can gather in the park. Older adults can enjoy the open space. All of us have an opportunity to live and thrive with safety and in health."
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also showed up to say some nice things (such as, "We have limited spaces and not all of it can go to private uses" — but then I ran the plate on that massive, city-owned SUV in which he was chauffeured and found that it's driven by a recidivist reckless driver. So next time, Williams can stay home or take transit like the rest of us.)
Clarence Eckerson caught the whole thing for one of his Streetfilms shorts:
But the one thing he didn't get was state Sen. Catalina Cruz describing why she loves Paseo Park so much: "At a time when things feel — I don’t have any other word for it — so shitty, we have Paseo Park."
One last thing: The final capital buildout of Paseo Park is under discussion right now. You have until Nov. 30 to make your voice clear. Check out the feedback portal on the DOT website here.
In other news:
- Speaking of plazas, Malcolm X's daughter was on hand to help the DOT christen "Malcolm X Plaza" in Harlem.
- Mayor-elect Mamdani met with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch as he attempts to make overtures to actual cops. (NY Post, ABC 7, NY Times)
- Gothamist took the NIMBY angle in its Penn Station coverage (days late and dollars short after ours). ... God forbid Midtown Manhattan has more tall buildings.
- Automated bus-mounted cameras are officially issuing fines on the Q6, Bx20, Bx3 and Bx7 bus routes. (Norwood News)
- President Trump's U.S. DOT wants to stop states from using federal highway funding for mass transit. (Politico)
- ... And that could mean more fare hikes, possibly, like the PATH train increase (though that comes with some upside, as the Post reported).
- Streetsblog Editor Gersh Kuntzman and reporter Sophia Lebowitz appeared on a podcast panel to discuss the recent mayoral elections. (Bike Talk)
- Gov. Hochul is weighing a "corporate take hike" to fund Mamdani's agenda. (Crain's)
- The MetroCard is on the way out — here's where you can get a free OMNY card. (amNY)
- News 12 Brooklyn gave air-time to what is perhaps the silliest complaint about an MTA accessibility project ever.
- The same outlet let bus riders complain about service, but mostly quoted them not liking the MTA app rather than reporting the real reason buses are slow: car traffic.
- A bid to ban horse carriages from Central Park failed to make it out of committee on the City Council. (Jeff Coltin via X, Hell Gate)
- Harlem businesses plea for more help from MTA during Second Avenue Subway construction. (NY Post)
- This News 12 Bronx piece on the Bx32 bus doesn't mention the car drivers who play a big role in slowing the route to under 6 mph.
- Planning a vacation? Check out Momentum Magazine's list of top urban cycling destinations.
- The folks at amNY covered Transportation Alternatives' 80-plus ideas for the next mayor.
- ... and took their "stop-by-stop" IBX tour to Canarsie. (amNY)
- The City Council speaker's race appears down to Julie Menin and Crystal Hudson. (NY1)
- Does Zohran Mamdani's "strategic uncoupling" from Brad Lander mean Lander's excellent transportation ideas are also on the outs?
- One single head has rolled at the LIRR after the latest IG probe into overtime abuse at railroad. (NY Post)
