Although NYC is already familiar with the city’s Open Streets Program, its impact may not be as temporary as you thought!

The Meatpacking District is a cultural hub on Manhattan’s west side running from West 14th St. south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River all the way east to Hudson St.

This trendy neighborhood with its cobble stone streets and luxury shops & restaurants offers 30,000 square feet of public plazas. As both a popular tourist destination and area for local businesses, the neighborhood handles tons of foot traffic each day.

And though 30,000 square feet seems like an ample amount of space, around “80% of all public right of way is dedicated to automobiles,” shared the Meatpacking District. Thus, in order to curb this imbalance, the already participating roads in the Open Streets program will become permanently blocked off to cars. These streets include: Gansevoort Street, Little West 12th Street, and W. 13th Street between Hudson and Washington Streets, along with the 9th Ave slip lane.

The Open Streets Program has already aided multiple struggling restaurants in the neighborhood throughout the pandemic as businesses were able to extend seating into the streets to bring in customers.

Business Improvement District (BID) is utilizing barricades to continue blocking off the aforementioned streets from vehicle entry.

This decision will ultimately make The Meatpacking District a more walkable neighborhood, that will hopefully help keep businesses booming with pedestrians.