More than 50 New York City streets will be closed to cars for one day in April.
'10.04.2026'
ForumDaily New York
New York City will once again host its annual Car-Free Earth Day. On this day, the city's streets will be cleared of cars to make way for pedestrians, cyclists, and artists. It's one of the city's most vibrant spring traditions, allowing people to see familiar places in a new way. Secret nyc tells which streets will be closed.
The event will take place on Saturday, April 25th, from 10:00 AM to 16:00 PM.
The event takes place in any weather.
“Car-Free Earth Day is a reminder that we only have one planet and that our streets play a vital role in the fight against climate change,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn.
How to get free rides on Citi Bike
In honor of the 56th anniversary of Earth Day, Citi Bike is offering free rides. Unlimited rides of up to 30 minutes on classic bikes are available for 24 hours.
Code: CARFREENYC26
How to activate:
- Enter the code in the Day Pass tab of the Citi Bike app.
On the subject: Food, shopping, art: MoMA PS1 to celebrate 50th anniversary with massive free festival in Queens
This is an opportunity drive through on more than 1600 kilometers of New York City bike paths, free from regular car traffic.
Main locations of the event
More than 50 streets will be closed. Special zones with a program of events will be organized in each district of the city.
Manhattan:
- Broadway: 17th Street (Union Square) to 46th Street (Times Square);
- St. Nicholas Avenue: 181st to 185th Streets;
- Dyckman Street: Broadway to La Marina/Inwood Hill Park.
Brooklyn:
- Fifth Avenue: 41st to 45th Streets.
Queens:
- Woodside Avenue: 75th to 78th Streets.
Bronx:
- East 188th Street: Grand Concourse to Valentine Avenue.
Staten Island:
- Port Richmond Avenue: From Castleton Avenue to Bennett Street.
Art installations and program
The event includes not only walks, but also a cultural program.
This year, several interactive installations are presented:
- NYC Art Stop Letters is a project by artist Molly Magnell dedicated to a car-free city;
- An Indicating Cycle is an interactive sculpture book by Duy Hoang about climate and nature;
- The Plastic Sea is an installation by Frahidel Falchuk where visitors can weave non-recyclable plastic into an "ocean wave."
Why is it important
Car-Free Earth Day is not only a celebration, but also a showcase of the city's future.
The Department of Transportation is already using the Open Streets program to permanently transform streets to make them more people-friendly, not car-friendly.
Applications for the 2026 Open Streets program are now open. Public organizations and schools can apply. here.
