Summer Streets: People Want More Events That Are Longer & Run Later!
I’ve attended at least one Summer Streets event every year since 2008 (minus the Covid-cancelled year of 2020), But this year was the first time I’ve made it 5 out of 5 weeks (since expanding it to the outer boroughs).
Streetfilms can claim credit for accelerating the ciclovia/open streets movement across the U.S. thanks to our 2007 landmark film documenting the fantastic ciclovia of Bogota, Colombia. The next year over a ½ dozen cities (including NYC, Portland, SF) debuted ciclovias with our film being cited as a major factor in the decision.
The above video is from the final event in Brooklyn this weekend where I got to ride with Bergen Bike Bus on their fun Kidical Mass event. Wiith each event the turnout signaled a clear message: NYC DOT and Mayor Mamdani need to increase the number of events. After 18 years we need Summer Streets to resemble the great ciclovias of the world and make them a weekly event or at the very least run most of the Summer.
The first week I attended Queens’ entry along Vernon Blvd along the East River waterfront. I arrived near the 9am start and was pleasantly surprised to see it already busy - mostly thanks to the clever decision to hold a free NYRR road race that had almost 1,000 participants. It juiced interest right away and it was much busier than in years past. Take a look. On camera universally people said they loved it.
That led me to head to the first Summer Streets in Manhattan with a mission: just flat out ask people at random how many Summer Streets NYC should have. I stopped to talk with over two dozen people and only one said he thought the number of three Saturdays in August “was about right”. Everyone else told me varying levels of robustness from “June and July” to “all summer” to “52 weeks a year!”
For the second Manhattan Saturday, I came with the burden of lots of social media cranks who watched my fist vid and claimed attendance at Summer Streets didn’t justify more events. So I figured what might impress even the biggest doubters was a time lapse count of 1,000 users passing by. I chose to perch my camera at the iconic Grand Central viaduct and it reached 1K faster than I expected. On good weather days Summer Streets can eclipse many 100s of thousands of participants. It certainly did in 2026. (Note: the poster frame is a suggested AI-generation which I accepted. My first one. But I promise I won’t do that often.)
For the final Manhattan entry I kinda took most of the day “off” deciding to explore the upper Manhattan segment of the course on Broadway from 110th and up. The official course only utilizes the east side of Broadway for both directions leaving the western side completely open for emergency use. I got curious and moseyed over and something magical happened I was all alone for over a dozen blocks and started filming. It was complete zen - Broadway with no vehicles, no cross-traffic, no parking and even almost no peds!! The NYPD was stationed near the median but never directed me back to the course. This shot might go down in history - it must be the first of its kind, essentially the only way it could be replicated is if a mega budgeted blockbuster movie production decided to clear the streets.(but I am sure they would just use special effects or AI to re-create it.
