Over 100 New York City streets will be car-free for Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day, over 100 New York City streets will go car-free. This will be the fifth year the city has done this, according to the NYC Department of Transportation.

According to CNN, the closing will occur between 11am and 5pm on Saturday, April 23, the day after Earth Day.

Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, “Earth Day is when we can all commit to protecting our Earth – and one way we can do that is by repurposing our roadways. Car-Free Earth Day is a growing tradition that allows New York City’s car-free streets to come alive.”

The car-free streets will be used for a variety of public programs incorporating music, dance, art, biking and education. Twenty-two public plazas and over 1,000 miles of bike network will be available for public use.

Motor vehicles release 28% of total nitrogen oxide emissions in New York City alone, according to the New York City Department of Environment Protection. 

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams said, “When we open streets to pedestrians and cyclists, they become community spaces for our neighborhoods and a boon to our local small businesses. I’m glad this program has already experienced so much success, and I hope that this initiative grows to include more spaces, especially in our outer boroughs.”