This street is empty during the week when people should be working.
I think this falls under the hope that "if you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it." Unfortunately, a visit to 34 OS at any time beyond times when it's pouring rain or 1 pm and 98 degrees out will demonstrate this to be a false assertion. 8 am - 11 am, the street is being used by a lot of people. Even during the summer heat waves. 4-8 pm, the street is being used. Usage is lighter mid-day, no doubt. But empty? It wasn't even empty during the winter.
35th Ave was flooded on Thursday
Where was 35th Avenue flooded?
Some people have pointed out that residents of 34th Ave are enjoying the Open Streets and have seen their property values increase because of this program.
And some have argued that property values are down
*because* of 34th Avenue OS. Until someone produces a report that analyzes closing prices on apartments on 34th Avenue in comparison to real estate values of properties not directly on an OS - which btw is publicly available information, you just need someone with the time awareness of bias to do it - any arguments about property value certainly seem to be cherry picking data that supports the arguers bias.
Many thanks to the volunteers for their efforts, but this needs to be funded and staffed if it's too be fair to all.
Which is why people should be advocating for DoT to produce its plan for the design of the OS (which was supposed to come in June, but was pushed back in to fall, seemingly thanks in part to the Compromisers working folks up about OS by misrepresenting a proposal by an advocacy group to reduce street parking by 25% across the city as an actual plan by the city to remove parking on 34th Avenue), participating in the visioning sessions and other public forums about 34 OS, and pushing the city to fund the program. Best in my opinion would be a design that doesn't rely on barricades that must be moved in and out of place twice a day or for drivers to have to move them. Relying on the volunteers is unsustainable in the long run, and its certainly time for the city agency in charge of Open Streets to come up with a solution.
All JH residents opinions count here but those who are profoundly impacted deserve a little more weight with their opinions in my view.
There was a primary election recently for City Council. Most of the candidates came out in favor of 34 Ave OS, but Andy Chen was actively courting the anti-OS/Compromise crowd. Most of the blocks on 34th Avenue went for Shekar Krishnan, who supports turning 34 Ave in to a linear park. Since the city council member for the district has a huge impact on OS, that seems like the time 34th Avenue residents if they dislike OS as much as some people like to insist they do, could have made that clear. There's a general election coming up soon. Residents of 34th Avenue who dislike OS can vote for the libertarian.