STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In an effort to improve pedestrian foot traffic and benefit local businesses, portions of Fifth Avenue will remain closed to vehicles during the holiday season, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced.
The success of last year’s Fifth Avenue Holiday Open Street has ensured not just the return of the massively popular stretch, but its expansion. This year will mark New York City’s largest-ever holiday season Open Street; the corridor expanding nearly 25% and connecting to Central Park, a holiday hot spot of its own.
The Fifth Avenue Holiday Open Street will span from 48th Street to 59th Street; car traffic will be fully restricted from noon to 6 p.m. on the Sundays of December 3, 10, and 17. Additionally, two vehicle lanes will be closed to motorists from 48th Street to 52nd Street for large expanses of each day throughout the season, closures starting in the early afternoon on weekdays and in the mornings on weekends, the DOT says.
Beginning with the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting and carrying on through January, both West 49th Street and West 50th Street will remain open exclusively to pedestrians between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue from 11 a.m. to midnight every day.
“Midtown Manhattan is one of the best places in the world to celebrate the holiday season, and we’re bringing some extra holiday cheer to Fifth Avenue,” NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said. “Providing a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone who visits iconic locations like Rockefeller Plaza, Radio City Music Hall, and Central Park during the holiday season is not only a cause for celebration for pedestrians, but also for local businesses that will see additional foot traffic.”
It seems that local businesses benefitted greatly as a result of the 2022 road closures. A study conducted by Mastercard, in partnership with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) and Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu, found that…
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