Majority of New Yorkers Want Streets for People, Not Cars
The vast majority of NYC residents want their neighborhoods to be safer and quieter, with streets that prioritize people and public space.
New Yorkers across the city were surveyed on a variety of topics related to streets, safety, and community.1 Policies that support safe streets as community spaces proved popular across a broad spectrum of demographics. For example, when asked “Would you support or oppose transforming our streets so that they are safe enough for kids to bike to school, even if that means removing parking, slowing down traffic, and closing some streets to automobile traffic?” every demographic expressed support of above 50%, including all ages, all education levels, all races identified, all income levels and four out of five boroughs.
The results are clear: New Yorkers want streets for people.
Nearly 65% of all travel by New York City residents is sustainable, meaning it does not involve a private vehicle. New Yorkers primarily walk and take public transportation. So it’s no wonder that most residents, who spend so much time on the streets, want to see improvements when it comes to making their neighborhoods more accessible and pleasant. In exchange for fewer parking spots, they overwhelmingly want more greenery, outdoor dining, containerized trash, and improved safety infrastructure.
The majority of New Yorkers are ready for streets that favor people rather than private vehicles. There’s a real opportunity for communities, advocacy groups, and visionary lawmakers to come together and chart the path forward. We can take inspiration from the successes we have seen across the city—many of these programs exist and are enjoyed by New Yorkers every day. Infrastructure upgrades like daylighting and low traffic neighborhoods (LTNs) make our streets safer for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists. Programs like school streets, open streets, and curbside dining transform our curbs and streets into community spaces where we can recreate and relax.
The largest obstacle to more vibrant, safer streets is a lack of political will. Now is the time for lawmakers to rally behind these widely popular ideas to reimagine our public spaces.
1 Polling was conducted by Data for Progress on behalf of Open Plans in 2023.