NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- New York City will transform Fifth Avenue into a car-free “Open Street” for pedestrians this holiday season, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday.
As part of the plan, 11 city blocks of Fifth Avenue—from W. 48th Street to W. 57th Street—will be opened to pedestrians on three Sundays in December.
The three Sundays are Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. The hours for the pedestrian plaza will be 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The “sweeping plan” will turn Midtown Manhattan into the “premiere international holiday destination,” while also easing crowding, improving safety and encouraging shopping, City Hall said.
The “season-specific” pedestrian plaza will connect to the pedestrianized area around Rockefeller Center, where tourists flock to see the famed Christmas tree, which will be lit up on Nov. 30.
As part of the plan, the city will put up moveable barriers on the east and west sides of Fifth Avenue, between W. 48th Street and W. 52nd Street.
Additionally in the early afternoon on weekdays and in the morning on weekends, the barriers will be used to “repurpose a lane of traffic on each side of the avenue as additional pedestrian space,” the mayor’s office said
Westbound right turns by vehicles will also be prohibited onto W. 47th Street, W. 49th Street and W. 51st Street to ease pedestrian traffic around Rockefeller Center.
According to Adams, it’s the first time in a half-century that such a stretch of Fifth Avenue has been transformed into a pedestrian plaza for the holidays.
“Every year, people come from across the world to New York City, and to Midtown Manhattan specifically, during the holiday season,” the mayor said in a statement. “This year, we are going to make that experience safer and more enjoyable for all New Yorkers and visitors with more access to Open Streets.”
Adams had two messages for visitors: “Happy holidays and spend money.”
On the Sundays when the Open Street is active, there will be entertainment, including choirs, drum lines and a samba group, officials said. Food and beverages will also be available, and seating will be provided. More information about the activities will be posted to FifthAvenue.nyc.
Here's what to know:
• Fifth Avenue: On Dec. 4, 11, and 18, from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m., Fifth Avenue, from W. 48th Street to W. 57th Street, will only be open to pedestrians. In addition, throughout the entire holiday season, moveable barriers will be placed on the east and west sides of Fifth Avenue, between W. 48th Street and W. 52nd Street. On days the street is not designated an Open Street, beginning in the early afternoon on weekdays and in the morning on weekends, these barriers will be used to repurpose a lane of traffic on each side of the avenue as additional pedestrian space. To accommodate high pedestrian traffic, westbound vehicle right turns will be prohibited from Fifth Avenue onto W. 47th Street, W. 49th Street and W. 51st Street.
• Rockefeller Center: Starting with the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree on Nov. 30, through early-to-mid January, the city will pedestrianize the streets surrounding Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall, using movable barriers to partially or fully close streets to cars and alleviate foot traffic along sidewalks. W. 49th Street and W. 50th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue, will only be open to pedestrians during the most congested hours, between 11 a.m. and 12 a.m. every day.
• Sixth Avenue: Also beginning with the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting on Nov. 30 through early-to-mid January, moveable barriers will be placed on the east side of Sixth Avenue between W. 48th Street and W. 52nd Street, reallocating one lane of traffic for additional pedestrian space.
• Bus service: All MTA crosstown buses will be rerouted during pedestrian-only hours on cross-streets. On Fifth Avenue, MTA buses will bypass all stops between 48th Street and 52nd Street, and, on Open Street Sundays, buses will be entirely rerouted to southbound avenues.
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