Jackson Heights Life

I have a hard time believing people who say they actually live on the open street and don't find it a noisy nuisance. I live two avenues away and I'm against it because, contrary to whomever says the open street is about favoring peds and bikes, open streets robs us of a bike lane. The bike lane on 34th Street is completely non-functional if it's blocked by people, vehicles, dirt bikes, kids on tricycles, yoga sessions, etc. As vendors roll in and people start setting up lawn chairs on the median, it's becoming less and less of an urban oasis and more like a neighborhood blight. Do it on the weekends! Rest of the time, give us back the bike lane and let people actually maneuver around. I would hate to have spent my life savings to buy a quiet apartment on 34th Ave only to face this. Just one NYers opinion.

How about a petition to reduce crime, clean up Roosevelt, or actually deal with the many other more important issues facing our community? I like having 34th Ave open and I use it all the time, but there are far more important things to deal with around here.

I'm really starting to believe that open streets has become such a hot button topic because it offers an easy way to ignore the larger problems facing our neighborhood, while still making it seem like people are concerned for the well being of the community. If as much energy was directed to the larger problems, we might actually be able to solve them. But NO, wE MusT DiReCt AAALLLL of oUr EnErgY TOWARDS 34th AVE oPeN StrEEEETs!!!!!

You know what really causes issues with our quality of life? Bands of drunks on 82nd and in front of the post office, the human trafficking issues associated with prostitution on Roosevelt (this is well documented), illegal bars that operate in the basements on Roosevelt, 37th, and 90th, the increase in gang activity, and the fact that people like to get shooty and stabby above 90th (I know most people here don't care about that because many of you rarely cross 82nd).

I mean, seriously; all of this is going on and the most pressing issue is 34th Ave open streets? Y'all need to get a grip on what's going on around here. In short, if your main concern is 34th Ave (no matter your position) you aren't concerned with the neighborhood as a whole.

Quote from: ChickenringNYC on August 19, 2021, 08:14:31 PM

I have a hard time believing people who say they actually live on the open street and don't find it a noisy nuisance. I live two avenues away and I'm against it because, contrary to whomever says the open street is about favoring peds and bikes, open streets robs us of a bike lane. The bike lane on 34th Street is completely non-functional if it's blocked by people, vehicles, dirt bikes, kids on tricycles, yoga sessions, etc. As vendors roll in and people start setting up lawn chairs on the median, it's becoming less and less of an urban oasis and more like a neighborhood blight. Do it on the weekends! Rest of the time, give us back the bike lane and let people actually maneuver around. I would hate to have spent my life savings to buy a quiet apartment on 34th Ave only to face this. Just one NYers opinion.

On the other hand, folks are buying apartments because those apartments are situated on the Open Streets. How wonderfully diverse human nature is, right?

Quote from: ChickenringNYC on August 19, 2021, 08:14:31 PM

I have a hard time believing people who say they actually live on the open street and don't find it a noisy nuisance. I live two avenues away and I'm against it because, contrary to whomever says the open street is about favoring peds and bikes, open streets robs us of a bike lane. The bike lane on 34th Street is completely non-functional if it's blocked by people, vehicles, dirt bikes, kids on tricycles, yoga sessions, etc. As vendors roll in and people start setting up lawn chairs on the median, it's becoming less and less of an urban oasis and more like a neighborhood blight. Do it on the weekends! Rest of the time, give us back the bike lane and let people actually maneuver around. I would hate to have spent my life savings to buy a quiet apartment on 34th Ave only to face this. Just one NYers opinion.

I agree with you. I'm not really for or against open streets. I just feel a lot of sympathy for anyone whose windows or building entrance faces 34th Ave. They have to deal with events like this - take a look at where that speaker is going to be, right in front of someone's living room or bedroom window. This is not an isolated event. There's also a theatre group performing in the same or similar location a few days before this one.

Quote from: auxbarricades on August 21, 2021, 02:01:25 PM

Ugh, I wanted to stay out of this thread because it's so toxic but since a lot of people seem to be speaking for the folks who live on 34th Ave. to push their own agenda, I'll speak up. I live on 34th Ave. facing the street next to Travers, no less! Open Streets is a godsend. I wouldn't have it any other way. 34th Ave should be free of car traffic all day, year round. I won't be reading your cranky responses.

Hooray for someone legitimately able to speak on this issue!