2021
GIVE STREETS BACK TO PEOPLE
Our mission is to reclaim New York City’s streets from the automobile and advocate for better walking, biking, and public transit for all New Yorkers.
SHIFTING THE STATUS QUO
2021 began amid a crisis from which we have yet to emerge. In New York and across America, the pandemic lingers, traffic violence and congestion rise, and budgets are strung tight.
Amid these challenges, we saw remarkable shifts in the status quo. This year, on our bridges, we turned car lanes into bike lanes. In our neighborhoods, we turned congested streets into park-like open spaces. NYC’s leaders now agree that our streets are a pathway to recovery and that the future rests on a connected and protected transportation network that serves all New Yorkers. The proof of all this is seen in the success of Open Streets, Bridges for People, and the widespread adoption of TA’s NYC 25x25 challenge.
The people of New York City are reclaiming our streets. We cannot — will not — go back to being a city centered around cars.
2021 IN REVIEW
OUR SHARED WINS
Our work together continues to change New Yorkers' lives, providing access to economic opportunities, safer streets, cleaner air, space for recreation and active living, reliable transportation, and an improved quality of life.
NYC 25x25
As New York City continued to face overlapping crisis at the start of the year, TA responded with an idea to meet the moment: NYC 25x25 — a challenge to New York City’s next leaders to convert 25 percent of car space into space for people by 2025. Our coalition is now more than 200 partners strong (and growing) and supported by Mayor-elect Eric Adams.
Open Streets
In 2020, TA fought to make Open Streets a reality. Now in 2021, we have more than 270 car-free Open Streets across the boroughs, have secured a line in the city budget for the beloved program, and are continuing to refine and expand the program to ensure equity, access, and sustainability.
Bike Parking
TA produced an original report, The Power of Bicycle Parking, which convinced the City to increase the pace of bike parking installation, including replacing car parking spaces with bike parking, and committing to add 10,000 new bike parking spaces by 2022.
Bridges for People
In 2021, the Bridges for People campaign launched a new approach to a goal that TA activists had been chasing for some 40 years: giving space back to people on some of the city’s most iconic bridges. After months of petitioning, meetings with elected officials, hosting virtual teach-ins, advocacy rides, and a roadway takeover, the Bridges for People campaign secured two major wins: a dedicated bike lane on the Brooklyn Bridge (installed) and Queensboro Bridge (coming soon).
Boulevards of Life
After a decade of fighting, we are nearing the completion of the redesign of Queens Boulevard, a 7.5 mile thoroughfare once called the “Boulevard of Death.” In Brooklyn, we helped to secure a $39 million redesign of McGuinness Boulevard after 10 years of campaigning.
New Car-Free Busways
✅ Main Street, Queens
✅ Jamaica Avenue, Queens
✅ Fifth Avenue, Manhattan
✅ Jay Street, Brooklyn
✅ W. 181st Street, Manhattan
New Bike Boulevards
✅ 21st Street, Brooklyn
✅ 39th Street, Queens
✅ Jackson Avenue, Bronx
✅ University Place, Manhattan
✅ Netherland Avenue, Staten Island
THE WORK AHEAD
Tomorrow brings a new governor, a new mayoral administration, a majority of new faces in the City Council, and a city with a new perspective on public space. We face a transformative moment in New York City. With your partnership in the months ahead, TA will:
Advance the vision of NYC 25x25. Eric Adams, the mayor-elect, embraced the proposal and even made NYC 25x25 the centerpiece of his transportation plan. TA will hold the administration accountable for its successful implementation. Our focus will include both citywide policy and grassroots campaigns — from Bridges for People to street redesigns to protected bike lanes and dedicated busways — that improve the safety and quality of life of all New Yorkers.
Get Vision Zero back on track. After three years of rising traffic violence, our city needs a renewed focus on this life-saving program. TA and Families for Safe Streets (FSS) will lead advocacy around increasing resources, scaling proven successes, and recentering Vision Zero firmly within the Department of Transportation.
Ensure the delivery of previous wins. TA, FSS, and our activists and partners have delivered milestone wins for New York City these past few years, but some of these hard-fought policies and programs remain undelivered or incomplete. We will fight for the successful implementation of these wins, including congestion pricing, the Streets Master Plan, the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program, and Open Streets.