Open Streets Pedestrianization Program Expands Locations in Lower East Side
This summer, more streets will be pedestrianized and for longer. Hell's Square and Dimes Square businesses come out the big winners.
NYC DOT announced the return of Open Streets for Summer 2023 on Saturday the 22nd. Their map shows us which streets will be blocked and for how long.
Where in the L.E.S.?
Only a few streets on the Lower East Side will block off vehicular traffic, but it’s easy to spot why certain ones were selected. Hell’s Square area is known for its heavy foot traffic which is why meaningful portions of Stanton, Rivington, and Ludlow were chosen as a Limited Access street (definition given later). The Dimes Square area, last year winning fame as an outdoor dining destination, was granted a very generous but reasonable quiet stretch of Canal Street to turn into a Full Closure street.
It’s surprising that DOT has assigned a closing time of 11pm and 12 am for the Hell’s Square Open Street and the Dimes Square Open Street respectively, given the history of protest against rowdy nightlife in both neighborhoods - but especially in Hell’s Square. I’m also told that these are roughly the same times allowed last year, so I doubt that they would ever roll them back.
The other streets are not nearly as controversial, so they seem reasonable enough. Personally I’d rather have some of these streets sealed off permanently, which would allow us to get rid of both the parking and the dining sheds at once.
How It Works
They separated the selected blocks into two categories: Limited Access (blue) and Full Closure/School Full Closure (orange, green respectively).
In Limited Access streets, local traffic is allowed for certain uses, think parking and person/merchandise pick-up or drop off, but no through traffic allowed.
Both types of Full Closure streets block off all vehicle traffic into the street, so no parking or drop off allowed. This is meant to enhance the outdoor dining experience and community programming that can be offered.
In all three types of streets, a gap of 15 feet must be maintained in the middle of the street to enable emergency vehicle access.
List of Street Closures
Broome Street
Between: Allen Street & Ludlow Street
Type: Limited Local Access
Schedule: Sun - Wed @ 12 pm to 9 pm; Thur - Sat @ 12 pm to 11 pm
Community Partner: Lower East Side Partnership
Canal Street
Between: Essex Street & Orchard Street
Type: Full Closure
Schedule: Mon - Sun @ 3pm - 12am
Community Partner: Cervo’s
Forsyth Street
Between: Division Street & East Broadway Street
Type: Full Closure
Schedule: Saturdays @ 9am- 4pm
Community Partner: Chinatown BID
Hester Street
Between: Ludlow Street & Orchard Street
Type: Full Closure School
Schedule: Mon - Fri 7:45am - 2:45pm
Community Partner: PS 42M
Jefferson Street
Between: East Broadway and Madison Street
Type: Full Closure
Schedule: Thur @ 3pm-9pm; Fri @ 3pm-10pm; Sat @ 10am-10pm; Sun @ 10am-9pm
Community Partner: Office Ho Jonot
Ludlow Street
Between: Stanton and Rivington Street
Type: Limited Local Access
Schedule: Sun-Wed @ 12pm-9pm; Thur-Sat @ 12pm-11pm
Community Partner: Lower East Side Partnership
Orchard Street
Between: Grand and Delancey Street
Type: Limited Local Access
Schedule: Sun-Wed @ 12pm-9pm; Thur-Sat @ 12pm-11pm
Community Partner: Lower East Side Partnership
Rivington Street
Between: Allen and Eldridge Street
Type: Full Closure
Schedule: Tue-Thur @ 5pm-10pm; Fri-Sat @ 10am-11:45pm; Sun @ 10am-10pm
Community Partner: SONNYBOY
Rivington Street
Between: Allen and Ludlow Street
Type: Limited Local Access
Schedule: Sun-Wed @ 12pm-9pm; Thur-Sat @ 12pm-11pm
Community Partner: Lower East Side Partnership
Rivington Street
Between: Eldridge and Forsyth Street
Type: Limited Local Access
Schedule: Mon-Thur @ 5pm-11pm; Fri-Sat @ 4pm-11:30pm; Sun @ 4pm-11pm
Community Partner: JADIS
Stanton Street
Between: Allen and Ludlow Street
Type: Limited Local Access
Schedule: Sun-Wed @ 12pm-9pm; Thur-Sat @ 12pm-11pm
Community Partner: Lower East Side Partnership
Stanton Street
Between: Essex and Norfolk Street
Type: Full Closure
Schedule: Sun @ 11am-6pm
Community Partner: More Gardens Fund
Suffolk Street
Between: Rivington and Delancey Street
Type: Full Closure
Schedule: Sun @ 2pm-7pm
Community Partner: Salsa Stories