Transportation Alternatives Statement on NYC's "Open Restaurants" Program

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday that the city’s popular Open Restaurants program will be made permanent and will operate year round.  

Statement of Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Danny Harris: 

“Our streets must be a pathway to New York City’s recovery. And, as the Open Restaurants program has proven, they are a lifeline for small businesses. 

We commend Mayor de Blasio and the Department of Transportation for closing streets to cars and repurposing curbside space to prioritize people over parking. Curbside dining has been a remarkable success and a highly visible improvement to our city during an incredibly difficult period. We are pleased to see this program made permanent.  

In order to keep our city’s recovery on track, we’re counting on Mayor de Blasio to channel the success and momentum of this massive reclamation of street space and to transform more of our streets into pathways of opportunity for New Yorkers across the five boroughs. New York City’s future must be built for people and not cars.”