New York City Summer Streets is an annual event organized by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT). The event closes streets to motor vehicles, leaving them open for pedestrians, cyclists, runners, and a variety of outdoor activities. In 2026, Summer Streets returned to all five boroughs, with more than 20 miles of car-free streets and programming over five Saturdays in July and August (New York City Department of Transportation [NYC DOT], 2026a).

The program began in August 2008 under the administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. The original Summer Streets program temporarily opened a 6.9-mile car-free route from the Brooklyn Bridge to 72nd Street in Manhattan, providing New Yorkers with access to the streets for exercise and exploration (NYC DOT, 2008). Since then, the program has expanded beyond its original Manhattan route to reach all five boroughs. Approximately 50,000 people participated in Summer Streets in 2008, while an estimated 300,000 participants attended in 2013 (Wolf et al., 2015). In 2025, more than 500,000 people participated in Summer Streets across all five boroughs (NYC DOT, 2026a).

This growth demonstrates the interest New Yorkers have in experiencing their city without the usual traffic and congestion. Every year, the event attracts families, tourists, athletes, and community organizations that come together to experience the streets in a different way.

Community

The idea behind Summer Streets was to temporarily open city streets for recreation, exercise, and exploration while encouraging walking and biking. The original program included opportunities for exercise and exploration along the car-free route (NYC DOT, 2008). By temporarily transforming busy roads into recreational spaces, residents are encouraged to spend more time outdoors and interact with their communities.

Many attendees discover neighborhoods they may have never visited before, while others simply enjoy being able to walk through streets that are normally packed with vehicles. The event also demonstrates how public spaces can serve purposes beyond transportation and can become places for recreation, exercise, and community engagement.

Summer Streets was modeled in part on Ciclovía, a program in Bogotá, Colombia, that closes streets to motor vehicles and opens them for pedestrians and cyclists. Ciclovía has served as an inspiration for open-streets programs in cities around the world, including New York City (New York City Department of Design and Construction, 2022). The model demonstrates how temporarily changing the use of streets can create opportunities for recreation, physical activity, and community interaction.

Public Space

Summer Streets has grown significantly since its launch and requires substantial planning and public resources. In 2026, the city’s proposed budget included $2 million annually for both Summer Streets and Open Streets. The funding was intended to support both programs, although the exact amount allocated specifically to Summer Streets was not clear at the time of the report (Meyer, 2026).

Summer Streets programming includes community-based running and walking events, public art installations, crafts, biking activities, chess, fitness classes, live performances, educational exhibits, and other family-friendly experiences (NYC DOT, 2026a). Although the event requires significant planning and resources, the programming allows organizers and community partners to provide a wide range of activities for participants.

Sanitation crews, traffic personnel, police officers, volunteers, and other staff members contribute to the organization and operation of the event. The original 2008 program, for example, included police directing traffic and other measures to support the temporary street closures (NYC DOT, 2008). Without this level of planning and coordination, an event of this size would be extremely difficult to organize successfully.

Movement

in·corpus is a New York City-based organization devoted to supporting embodiment and community connection through movement while also engaging with Indigenous and heritage artistry. Its research explores the connections between dance, land, embodiment, community, and well-being (in·corpus, 2024).

in·corpus maintains that dance is an essential human practice that strengthens connections to oneself and others. The organization also explores how dance emerges from cultures and environments connected to the land. Through these practices, dance can reconnect individuals with the land and encourage greater appreciation for cultural history, tradition, and community (in·corpus, 2024).

The organization views movement as a form of expression, connection, and communication that allows people from different backgrounds to engage with one another. Its programs invite participants of different ages and experience levels, creating opportunities for people to participate regardless of their dance background.

In 2026, in·corpus partnered with Summer Streets through its program “DANCING CONNECTIONS: POWWOW x BREAKIN’.” The program brought guided movement and dance activities to Summer Streets locations in Staten Island, East Harlem, and Brooklyn (in·corpus, 2026).

This partnership gave participants the opportunity to experience movement activities that promote physical activity and connection. It also allowed the nonprofit to reach a larger audience through a citywide public event. Since Summer Streets attracts hundreds of thousands of participants, organizations such as in·corpus can introduce their missions to people who may have never heard of them before. This partnership demonstrates how city-sponsored events can also provide opportunities for nonprofits to educate the public and build stronger relationships within local communities.

Community, Movement, and Public Space

Summer Streets brings together community, movement, and public space by temporarily changing how New Yorkers experience the city’s streets. The event allows attendees and visitors alike to participate in physical activities, educational programming, cultural experiences, and other activities while also increasing the visibility of community organizations (NYC DOT, 2026a).

Beyond recreation, the event provides opportunities for residents to experience streets as public spaces. Families can spend quality time together, cyclists can ride through car-free routes, runners can use open roads, and community organizations can connect directly with the public.

Because Summer Streets programming is free, the event provides opportunities for people from different backgrounds and income levels to participate (NYC DOT, 2026a). The continued expansion of Summer Streets over the years demonstrates its popularity and the changing ways New Yorkers can experience public space.

The 2026 Summer Streets program brought together residents and visitors across all five boroughs while continuing to provide opportunities for health, community engagement, cultural programming, and appreciation of New York City’s public spaces (NYC DOT, 2026a).

References

in·corpus. (2024). Research: Phase 1. https://www.incorpus.one/research

in·corpus. (2026). Summer Streets 2026: DANCING CONNECTIONS—POWWOW x BREAKIN’. https://www.incorpus.one/events-upcoming

Meyer, D. (2026, February 27). Mamdani falls short of campaign pledge to expand Open Streets funding amid budget crunch. Streetsblog New York City. https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/02/27/mamdani-falls-short-of-campaign-pledge-to-expand-open-streets-funding-amid-budget-crunch

New York City Department of Design and Construction. (2022). Streetscapes for wellness: Open streets. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/designcommission/downloads/pdf/PDC_StreetscapesForWellness.pdf

New York City Department of Transportation. (2008, July 29). DOT marks progress toward livable streets for New York City. https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2008/pr08_022.shtml

New York City Department of Transportation. (2026a). Summer Streets. https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/summerstreets.shtml

New York City Department of Transportation. (2026b, July 10). Summer Streets to return to all five boroughs with updated hours. https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2026/summer-streets-to-return-to-all-five-boroughs.shtml

Wolf, S. A., Grimshaw, V. E., Sacks, R., Maguire, T., Matera, C., & Lee, K. K. (2015). The impact of a temporary recurrent street closure on physical activity in New York City. Journal of Urban Health, 92(2), 230–241. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4411324/