NEW YORK (PIX11) — Sneakers hit the pavement and bike chains clicked where cars normally zoom as thousands of New Yorkers flooded the car-free corridors of Manhattan Saturday morning for Summer Streets.
From the Brooklyn Bridge all the way up to Dyckman Street, the usual honking and exhaust gave way to something else entirely: runners, walkers, cyclists, and families turning the open streets into their own playground.
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For the next three Saturdays in August, through August 22, with upcoming stops ending in Brooklyn and the Bronx, the Department of Transportation is shutting down major arteries to cars, transforming them into a moving festival of fitness, art, and community.
Some pedaled all the way from Brooklyn just to soak it in, including two best friends who made the ride a regular tradition.
“The energy is high, the runners, the walkers, the people supporting everything. It’s a beautiful event,” one of them said.
And that joy wasn’t just for the grown-ups. Families turned the open streets into their own playground, with kids riding in the middle of the avenue and lifted high above the crowd.
For John Briggs, Summer Streets is a family tradition. He’s been bringing his four-and-a-half-year-old daughter every year, first in a stroller, then on a bike, and now, she’s ready to ride on her own.
“It’s extremely important. It’s really cool that this thing has expanded,” he said.
That expansion is no accident. This year, Summer Streets hits all five boroughs, kicking off in Queens and Staten Island last weekend. The event features free programming from partners like New York Road Runners, Citi Bike, and local arts groups, plus rest stops every few blocks offering water and shade.
For riders like the two friends, it comes down to one simple thing: they wouldn’t trade a car-free morning for anything.
“We’re riding, we’re on our bike because this is lovely, who doesn’t like no cars?” one of them said.
For more information on Summer Streets, click here.