School Streets are one of the simplest ways New York City can improve quality of life for our kids. By closing streets off to traffic during the school day, these blocks become calmer, safer, and more welcoming for students and families. It means less air pollution and congestion, more pleasant commutes, and more space for kids to safely get to school, learn, and play. But right now the program operates as a patchwork, relying on school staff to manually lift heavy barricades and shoulder the burden of red tape associated with the program.

As Mayor Mamdani refines his first budget, there’s a clear opportunity for New York City to lead by example and put our kids first. A dedicated line item for School Streets would give the program the resources it needs to grow equitably across the city—supporting school staff and bringing the benefits of safer, kid-friendly public spaces to many more schools across the city. 

Send a letter directly to your Council Member and the Mamdani Administration calling for dedicated School Streets funding and permanent plaza blocks in every borough.

Join us this March 28 for Low Traffic Neighborhoods workshop as part of NYC's Open Data Week. We'll explore how LTNs create safer streets, use data to identify which neighborhoods could benefit from them, and end with a panel discussion on making NYC more livable for everyone.

We want to make this newsletter better for you! Fill out this short survey for a chance to win Open Plans merch (3 winners) or a $25 Bookshop.org gift card (1 winner).

Entries are due by March 12th.

We are seeking an energetic, driven person to join StreetopiaUWS. This role involves building community relationships, attending public meetings, and connecting UWS residents to our campaigns. Applications are due March 30.

More than 300 streets in Paris have been redesigned to be traffic-free. Our community planner, Sabina Sethi Unni says Paris has been inspiring for our school streets work here. She expects NYC's numbers to increase significantly under Mayor Mamdani, who pledged car-free streets at every school.

📊 Open Data Week 2026 | Sun, Mar 22-29 | Citywide & Online
Celebrate public data in New York City at this annual festival of community-driven events organized by the NYC Open Data Team at OTI, BetaNYC, and Data Through Design. Join New Yorkers across the five boroughs to mark the anniversary of the City's first open data law (signed March 7, 2012) and learn how to engage with municipal public data through workshops, events, and civic tech gatherings.

📢 Play Fair Coalition Rally to Fund NYC Parks! | Mon, Mar 23 | 10:30-11:30 AM

Join New Yorkers for Parks and the Play Fair Coalition for Parks to rally at City Hall for a fully funded parks system !

🚍 The 14th Street Plan Workshop | Wed, Mar 25 | 4-7 PM
Join NYC DOT, the Meatpacking District Management Association, and Union Square Partnership at Pratt Institute (144 W 14th St, 2nd Floor) for the first public workshop on reimagining 14th Street from the Hudson to the East River with permanent transit, streetscape, and public space improvements. Can't attend? Complete the online survey by April 10 to share your experiences and help shape this corridor for decades to come.

🌳 Street Tree Care with Big Reuse
Join Big Reuse to clean, care for, and mulch street trees across the city! Meet at the locations below with your water bottle and weather-appropriate clothing. All supplies provided.

• w/ It's the Pits | Sat, Mar 28 | 10 AM-12 PM
  141 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn | Sponsored by CM Crystal Hudson (District 35)
• w/ 95th Street Block Association | Sat, Apr 18 | 10 AM-12 PM
  129 W 95th St | Sponsored by CM Shaun Abreu (District 7)
• w/ Global Learning Collaborative | Tue, May 12 | 3:30-5:30 PM
  145 W 84th St | Sponsored by CM Gale Brewer (District 6)

🏃🏽‍♀️ WE ACT Earth Day 5K | Sat, Apr 25 | 9 AM

Lace up for WE ACT's annual 5K at Randall's Island and run for environmental justice! All registrants get a free WE ACT membership and race t-shirt, with awards for top finishers and fundraisers (individual and team). Can't make it in person? Register for the virtual race option—all proceeds support WE ACT's community-driven climate work.

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