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The city has announced plans to close down an Upper East Side block for the benefit of an expensive private school, and locals–at least those whose kids don’t attend this $62,500 per year institution–aren’t too pleased about it.
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The Department of Transportation will approve the Birch Wathen Lenox School’s application to include East 77th Street (between Second and Third avenues) as part of New York’s “Open Streets” program beginning early next year. This marks the latest school in the neighborhood to be included in the program, which previously involved four Upper East Side schools announced back in September.
“Open Streets is a great way to celebrate your neighborhood and support local businesses,” NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in an October press release announcing the opening of applications for the 2025 school year. “We are grateful for our community partners who work to keep these spaces safe, active, and entertaining and we welcome all who are interested in applying. We continue to develop more resources for our partners to equitably expand our program in neighborhoods across the city.”
As part of the program, this portion of East 77th Street would be closed to traffic Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“If this closure goes into effect, the majority of the residents and business on this block will have their lives disrupted as cars, cabs and ambulances will not be able to get through,” Marie Stareck, a senior on the block, told the New York Post. “The Open Streets program benefits the privileged few and hurts tax-paying citizens.”
Community Board 8 recently voted to revoke the application, though community board votes are advisory only. The Post report states that the DOT agreed to “‘adjust’ the planned street hours” without specifying how.
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The DOT operates approximately 200 Open Streets locations throughout the city; the initiative is aimed at giving kids and neighborhood residents an increased ability to take part in outdoor activities without fear of cars or other automobile traffic during weekdays.
During the first nine months of 2024, traffic accidents caused 193 fatalities in New York City and resulted in the serious injuries of 2,338 more, according to an analysis by Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets; this represents more fatalities than in eight of the last 10 years.
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Giving public space to kids? Instead of cars? How dare they?!
Don’t they know cities are built for cars, not people, and especially not kids!!
Quote from district elected official?
Only privileged kids. How many public schools and their students are benefitting from this perk? Money talks.
Lenox Hill Hospital is on 77th street between 3rd and Lex…this is absolutely INSANE!