31st Ave Open Street Parking Signage Pilot: Letter to Queens CB1

April 11th, 2022

To members of Queens Community Board 1:

This letter is an effort to request Community Board 1 for inclusion of the popular 31st Ave Open Street in a new pilot initiative between NYCDOT and the NYPD to add parking regulation signs between 33rd and 35th Street, where the Open Street is in effect Saturday and Sunday, 12pm to 8pm. At this time, no parking and thru traffic is allowed, which opens the street to walking, cycling and outdoor programming.

But as it stands, there are no official parking regulations notifying drivers of the Open Street on these two blocks each weekend. Traffic enforcement agents from the local 114th Precinct then have little guidance to enforce the existing rules. As a result, few drivers know to move their vehicles, or acknowledge that they have to do so, in accordance with the Open Street’s licensing permit.

This gap in regulation has consequences. First and foremost, when cars are not moved prior to 12pm and they need to leave later during our hours of operation, they run the risk of harming those who are utilizing the Open Street, which is supposed to be completely closed to traffic at that time. Furthermore, if the drivers do not move the barricades back after vacating the Open Street or see other cars parked with little enforcement, volunteers have seen firsthand that drivers approaching the Open Street may take liberty to drive through it, even though thru traffic is not permitted. Both issues pose an outsized risk to children, older adults, and those with disabilities.

When space is squeezed, that puts undue pressure on programmers to maintain the 15-foot emergency lane needed at all times for ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles or other city services to get through. It also prevents the Open Street from offering a safe passageway to bikes and other forms of ‘micro-mobility,’ which is known to disturb the user experience. And finally, it hinders both volunteers’ and employees’ abilities to operate the Open Street; it blocks the Collective from hosting events, like kid-friendly circuses, vendor fairs, or community fundraisers.

We know from experience that when messaging is confusing or inconsistent, it leads to frustration for all — drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and local businesses. Having clear signage and enforcement will ensure public safety and success, which will benefit the Astoria community and Community Board 1.

Best,

31st Ave Open Street Collective