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The 55th anniversary of Earth Day will be celebrated on Saturday, April 26, and one of the highlights of the Department of Transportation's (DOT) celebrations will be a car-free initiative that first launched in 2016.
Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day will close down 54 streets and plazas to vehicular traffic across all five boroughs from 10am to 4pm, setting up community programs and public art activations in the areas as well.
"Car-Free Earth Day is a chance for New Yorkers to enjoy our city's world class streetscapes as open spaces for all," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "We only have one planet—temporary public art, programming, music, and other activities at dozens of car-free streets around New York City will help us remember: we must all do our part to reduce our carbon footprint and respect our environment."
The idea is a simple one: by turning a portion of our city into a car-free zone, officials hope to promote activism and education about sustainable modes of transportation, climate change and environmentalism.
This year, the NYC DOT has also commissioned five artists to come up with temporary, environmentally-focused works of different mediums along certain routes, including some by New York-based illustrators Ishita Jain and Caitlin Keegan.
To celebrate the occasion, Citi Bike will also be offering unlimited 30-minute rides on classic Citi Bikes for 24 hours. All you have to do to take advantage of the deal is use promo code CARFREENYC25 in the Day Pass tab of the Citi Bike app.
You can look through a map of all the streets and plazas set to go car-free right here. Below, find a list that highlights the signature event locations for the day—just in case you want to be in the middle of all the action:
Manhattan:
- Broadway: 17th Street to 46th Street
- St. Nicholas Avenue: 181st Street to 190th Street
- Dyckman Street: Broadway to La Marina/Inwood Hill Park
Queens:
- Woodside Avenue: 75th Street to 78th Street
Brooklyn:
- 5th Ave: 40th Street to 50th Street (expanding from 40th Street to 45th Street)
The Bronx:
- E 188th Street: E Fordham Rd to Valentine Ave + Creston Ave: E 188th St. to E Fordham Rd + Valentine Ave: E 188th St. to E Fordham Rd (expanding E 188th Street)
Staten Island:
- Port Richmond Ave: Richmond Terrace to Castleton Ave (expanding from Castleton Ave to Post Ave)