New York City, United States

Name – Summer Streets
When it started – August, 2008
Kilometres of road open – 11 km
Participants – 150 000 over 3 days (300 000 in 2009)
Organizers – NYC DOT       
Unique features – Guest appearances from Lance Armstrong, Jay Z, and David Byrne.  Major downtown street used as the route for Summer Streets with free bike rentals and bike maintenance stations.

Starting in the summer of 2008 Mayor Bloomberg and the NYC Department of Transportation were able to boldly transform 87 blocks that were once full of cars, congestion, and pollution, into 87 blocks full of life, happiness, and entertainment through their Summer Streets program.

Modeled on Bogota’s Ciclovia and Paris’ Paris Plage, New York City’s Summer Streets event opens up seven miles of Park Avenue in the heart of Manhattan on three consecutive Saturdays in August.  The launch of the program even brought out celebrities such as world renowned cyclist Lance Armstrong, music artist David Byrne, and hip hop artist Jay-Z, who all enthusiastically endorsed New York City’s vision to redefine how we use our streets. Over 150,000 people of all ages, and cultures came out to enjoy the excitement of the streets without cars and participate in various recreational activities such as Yoga, dance, and fitness classes. 

Contact Information
Dani Simons
Director of Strategic Communication
NYC Department of Transportation

Email: dsimons@dot.nyc.gov

Videos:

NYC Summer Streets 2009

Summer Streets are Back!

Summer Streets 2009 NYC

Car-Free Summer Streets

Articles:

Car-Free Streets, a Colombian Export, Inspire Debate

No Traffic on a Saturday? Well, No Cars, Anyway