An open street on 34th Avenue offers a respite from the pandemic.

By Maya Heatley

Before the coronavirus hit New York, Jackson Heights in the borough of Queens was a vibrant neighborhood, a true melting pot of different people, different cultures and different ideas. Located in northwestern Queens, it is often said to be the most diverse neighborhood in the United States.

In April 2020, the neighborhood was essentially the epicenter of the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. As of July 17, there were over 2,500 cases. With more than 100,000 people living there, the coronavirus outbreak posed a particular threat to residents. Jackson Heights has very limited public space, so it seemed impossible to exercise and have a semi-normal life without being in close contact with people.

In the days right after the outbreak, the normally busy neighborhood was quiet, with the sound of sirens wailing occasionally piercing the silence. There were no cars on the street, and not many people walking outside. A few residents decided to do something with the roads that nobody was using. They proposed an “open street” on 34th Avenue, where residents could walk, bike or even sit down in the middle of the road.

The end product is a street that, instead of being deserted, is thriving with life. Flowers grow in the dividers in the street. Little groups of brightly painted rocks are nestled in between plants. People walk with their friends 6 feet apart, and children who would normally be cooped up inside are free to run around. There is a liveliness to the street that the neighborhood otherwise lacked when the pandemic first hit Jackson Heights.

The Origin of the Open Street

Five people lobbied to get the open street created at first, including Nuala O'Doherty-Naranjo, a politician and community organizer. In an interview, O'Doherty says that when the group first asked New York Mayor Bill de Blasio about the possibility of an open street, they were denied. However, after a lot of tweeting and pressuring, they managed to convince the mayor to allow a temporary open street.

From the video “Miracle on 34th Avenue: NYC’s Best Open Street is in Queens.” Credit: Streetfilms

At first, police were on every corner, and the project was seen as very expensive. The group of residents asked themselves, why did this neighborhood need the police to stand at corners, making people feel uncomfortable rather than safe, when the community could do the job themselves?

Ultimately de Blasio agreed to opening 34th Avenue, from 69th to 70th street, without police as an experiment. The street is community-run and maintained, with 10 volunteers who help. They put out metal barricades every morning at 8 a.m. and take them away every evening at 8 p.m. Bright yellow signs are also used to inform people how to interact in the open street. The street’s success led to its expansion to Junction Boulevard, for a total of 1.3 miles.

Benefits to the Community

Radha Vastal, a novelist and community resident for more than 20 years, says that in immigrant neighborhoods, there is a general lack of public space. There is one park in Jackson Heights (Travers Park), and with the coronavirus posing a particularly large threat to a densely populated neighborhood, many parents have deemed the park too crowded to be safe. The streets provide an alternative, but with more space to bike and walk.

Outside of P.S. 280, a local elementary school, the organizers of the open street planned activities for children from yoga to slime making to jump rope every day at 9:30 a.m. One participant, 10-year-old Naomi Vender-Wilson, says she especially enjoyed throwing paper airplanes in a competition.

Other events on the street are not created by the organizers, like meet-ups or birthdays. And although people may not be able to see everyone they want to, chances are that they will never have a birthday party in the middle of the street again.

People volunteer to clean up garbage and doodle on the street with chalk. This community effort comes with a sense of pride in the open street.

When the election for the 34th Assembly District of New York State was going on, residents wrote which candidates they supported on the street with colorful chalk. Additionally, a Black Lives Matter chalk-drawing event was held on June 7, when residents were encouraged to write and draw on the street. The street had become more than just a place for people to get outside, but a platform with which people could express their opinions and have a conversation about them.

The Question of Permanence

With the success of the open street, the inevitable question is how long the street will remain open. Many residents of Jackson Heights see the open street as something that would be beneficial to the community regardless of the threat of the coronavirus.

The car-free street. Photo by Maya Heatley

O'Doherty commented that if the street were to become a permanent feature, there would be less work involved for the volunteers, without the set-up and dismantling they do every day. She also said there could be more permanent planning for the street.

It seems that many in the community are in agreement. “People don’t really have a place that’s open,” says 12-year-old Miles Vender-Wilson. “There are lots of streets for cars already.” Miles, like many people, is feeling cooped up inside. The street gives him the opportunity to see his friends and skateboard.

Vatsal agrees that the neighborhood “needs more open space.” She comments that you can see the need for an open street based on its popularity. Everyday, people can be seen flocking to the street for all kinds of purposes: some exercise, others find and talk to friends, and still others are able to simply take a break from being inside. Music can be heard playing, occasionally drowning out the people talking or the bikes riding past.

Other Communities

Jackson Heights’ open street has had much success, but it is also important to look at why. After all, many other open streets exist. So why is it that in this neighborhood the open street works so well?

According to O'Doherty, “It’s people-run, neighborhood-run, not police-run.”

A common problem with open streets is that they are not maintained by the city, and people don’t have the time to volunteer. In other places, the wooden barricades are painted blue, with hard-to-read signs.

Unlike Jackson Heights, many open streets are only a few blocks long (sometimes only one!), which doesn’t give residents enough room to walk or bike. If nobody uses the space, cars would drive through it all the time.

But the community of Jackson Heights has decided that the street belongs to them. The community involvement in this open street is what truly makes it special.

About the Writer:

Maya Heatley of Jackson Heights, New York

Maya is a rising 11th-grader and has a little brother. In her spare time, she likes reading and drawing.