Open Plans Responds to Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City Address

NEW YORK—Statement from Open Plans Co-Executive Director Sara Lind on Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City Address:

“Today’s State of the City shows that Mayor Adams has identified the key components of street and public space management where the city needs improvement, but has fallen short on the set of comprehensive solutions that New Yorkers need and deserve. While we welcome the mayor’s attention to micromobility, the five boroughs are in need of a much more comprehensive look at how all cyclists and other micromoblity users get around than was announced.

“If the city is going to have an entity dedicated to micromobility, it should be tasked with encouraging the safe and convenient adoption of micromobility for everyone—not just creating a structure and rules for commerce. Our streets aren’t safe and orderly for anyone riding a bike, whether the person peddling it is carrying a Grubhub order or not, and any solutions to cycling needs to reflect that reality.

“Along with attention to the street safety for cyclists and delivery workers, we are pleased to hear the mayor’s other promising plans for improving management of our streets and public space. The planned redesign of Kimlau Square in Chinatown will increase usable public space and improve pedestrian safety in one of the most car-clogged areas of the city. Allocating funding for skateparks will create more opportunities for people to enjoy public space together. Additionally, putting the city on the path to implementation of full trash containerization will make our sidewalks cleaner and easier to navigate, and the most effective way to do so is by using curb space.

“The mayor’s words today matter, but what matters far more is follow-through on the key street and public space management issues facing our city. We look forward to ensuring the Adams administration makes good on its promise to sound a death knell to the era of chaotic and car-clogged public spaces—creating clean, joyful, and orderly streetscapes that allow New Yorkers using all modes of transportation to safely, pleasantly, and quickly navigate the city.”