Forty streets in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens will be closed to traffic on weekdays to facilitate outdoor dining, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday.
The “open streets” program where restaurants can put tables and chairs in roadways to increase outdoor dining capacity during the coronavirus pandemic was previously confined to weekends. The program encompasses nearly 90 corridors.
“Restaurants deserve every chance they can get to serve more customers this fall – and, as the weather gets cooler, New Yorkers deserve every chance they can get to enjoy outdoor dining,” de Blasio.
Big Apple eateries can start to welcome diners indoors at 25 percent of their capacity on Sept. 30.
Traffic will be barred along the 40 corridors starting as early as Sept. 17 at varying hours depending on the location. A full list of closures is available at the city Dept. of Transportation website.
Some of the major closed corridors include Hoyt Street from Atlantic Avenue to State Street in Manhattan Friday through Sunday, W. 46th Street between Sixth and Ninth avenues every day, 70th Road between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard in Queens every day, and Arthur Avenue between E. 118th Street and Crescent Avenue in The Bronx, Thursday through Sunday.
“Open Streets: Restaurants has been a literal breath of fresh air for New Yorkers and a lifeline for many businesses,” said Jessica Lappin, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York.
“We are delighted the program will be extended and expanded and are proud to play a role in supporting its operation,” she added.
Fewer than half of the city’s 25,000 restaurants offer outdoor dining.