Yes. The old model of planning streets – cars first, pedestrians and bicyclists second – should be thrown out. Not only is it safer and more practical to accommodate all of the walkers and riders who are filling our streets and sidewalks, but it is in all of our best interests to make this City more accessible to alternative transportation users and less dependent on cars. That means we should always be looking for ways to encourage the development of bike connections between neighborhoods, and areas separated from the roadway for bikes and pedestrians. “Complete streets” will take all of these elements into account, and lead to a City that’s safer, cleaner, and easier for residents to get around, and nicer for guests to visit.

each neighborhood has its own needs and requirements, and should be addressed with the Community Boards.

Yes, provided individual repurposing initiatives get “buy-ins” from local merchants and residents. Sidewalks and street surfaces make up 26.6% of land area in NYC. We need to approach our streets differently than we have in the past. Pedestrian plazas are a welcome addition where inviting and comfortable public space is in short supply. Within the 33rd Council District, the Pearl Street asphalt triangle in DUMBO was transformed with a green painted floor, café tables, chairs, umbrellas and plantings along with local artwork. As you know, cities worldwide have begun to redefine car-centric street space as invaluable public space for people and New York City should become a leader in this effort.

I favor permanent repurposing of street space for pedestrians and cyclists.

I support the repurposing of street space for pedestrians and cyclists. Responsible development of underused streets into pedestrian plazas is a great way to revitalize communities and encourage outdoor activity. It shouldn’t be done in areas where the loss of street space for cars would have a major negative impact on traffic, but in many places a new public place would be a boon. Outdoor activities and gathering places do a lot to both get people out of the house and inspire a sense of community.

Certainly; this current summer in my district we have Summer Streets on both Vanderbilt and Myrtle Avenues. I would support the extension of this program to other commercial corridors in my district.

I support the Pedestrian Street Program and Summer Streets. The idea of using public space for recreation and socializing is common within our district – we have no less than 10 block parties a week and the parks are full every weekend. It would be nice to see the Pedestrian Street Program operate during the week within this area

I do support it. I think this does reduce pollution overall.

I support the permanent repurposing of street space for pedestrians and cyclists in many cases. New York City should be more like many of the great European cities - with grand plazas for pedestrians and bicyclists alike. Programs like Summer Streets are a fantastic way of experimenting with diversifying our streets and our city. We can eventually make New York City -- and Brooklyn in particular -- as bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly as Amsterdam and Berlin with some great ingenuity and commitment to making it happen.

Yes. I strongly support more events where we make streets into temporary public space — the Halloween and baseball parades on 7th Avenue, Bastille Day on Smith Street, the Pride Parade, You Gotta Have Park, and block parties are some of the best days in our community, and remind us of how precious our public space is. I am sorry that our community is not already participating in the City’s Summer Streets program, and I would work actively to identify streets for participation next summer.

I also strongly support the Public Plaza Program. We were honored to host the launch of the program by DOT Commissioner Sadik-Khan at the Pratt Institute, and to help design the RFP and the model for working with community groups. I would support efforts by local organizations and the DOT to identify areas in the 39th council district that could be made into permanent pedestrian plazas, through a participatory planning process, a high-quality design, and a plan to minimize impacts on businesses.