On June 22nd, 2017, Transportation Alternatives launched Streetopia — the single largest effort ever attempted to free New York City from the automobile. 

Even though most New Yorker do not own a car, 80% of the open space in New York City is filled by parked cars and congested traffic — an unfair use of space in a city where space is a precious commodity. New Yorkers suffer asthma because of vehicle exhaust, obesity because active outdoor life is inaccessible, and the real danger of crossing streets full of impatient and reckless drivers.  

In recent years, the City of New York has reclaimed some under-used roads with car-free public plazas and protected bike lanes, causing a surge in cycling, which is now growing faster than transit ridership. Yet these efforts have reclaimed only 1% of all street space since 2007. Streetopia is a campaign to promote the remarkable potential for transforming much more of New York City’s open space. Imagine the growth in health and happiness if all 6,000 miles of city streets were reclaimed for public use.

Because Streetopia is a shift in the dominant paradigm, it will require a massive civic effort by the citizens of New York, and widespread demand to have a voice in how streets are used. The Streetopia campaign will empower individuals and neighborhoods to change the form and function of their streets. Learn how you can get involved today: ACT NOW. 

The Streetopia campaign launched with a three-floor takeover of the Museum of the City of New York for a one-day-only exhibit on the future of car-free cities. Streetopia: The Exhibit was developed by a braintrust of activists, engineers, rabble rousers, and dreamers, including: