Rendering of the first-ever Open Street gate.
NEW YORK - Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today welcomed New York City students back to school with new measures designed to make the streets around schools safer for children, families and all New Yorkers.
From hundreds of new 15 MPH School Slow Zones and school street redesigns to the return of Open Streets and the city's first gated school Open Street, the administration is expanding proven tools to slow traffic, create more space for pedestrians and make getting to and from school safer.
"Every student deserves to feel safe when they make their way to school, and every parent deserves the same peace of mind," said Mayor Mamdani. "From Sammy's Law and Open Streets to installing street redesigns near 300 City schools, our administration will continue to take action to ensure our streets are safe, especially those surrounding our children's schools."
"As a parent of two NYC public school students, I understand the importance of Open Streets as an opportunity to provide safe, open-air environments for children to learn and play - while also providing parents and guardians calmer and more social pick-ups and drop-offs," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "We are using innovative tools to help keep children safe at school, from new street designs to an expansion of our School Slow Zones through our Sammy's Law commitment."
Largest-Ever Expansion of Sammy's Law
Earlier this year, Mayor Mamdani announced the City would reduce speed limits to 15 MPH at every eligible school location during his first term using the authority granted to New York City under Sammy's Law.
NYC DOT has already installed more than 200 15 MPH School Slow Zones this year, with roughly 800 expected to be in place by the end of 2026 as part of the first year of the administration's commitment.
First-Ever Clarkson Street Open Street Gate
This month, NYC DOT will install the City's first-ever Open Streets gate outside a school on Clarkson Street in Tribeca as part of an ongoing redesign of Clarkson Street between Hudson Street and Varick Street.
The gate draws inspiration from Paris' Rues aux Écoles, which use simple street gates to create safer, more welcoming spaces for students and expand opportunities for play and outdoor learning.
The Clarkson Street redesign is one of the street redesigns taking place near more than 300 schools across the city this year. The project will add public seating, expand pedestrian space, create safer crossings, improve visibility and slow down drivers.
The project is being completed in collaboration with City-As-School High School, M.S. 721 and Open Plans.
Open Streets for Schools Return
Clarkson Street is one of 77 Open Streets at schools launching across the city for the 2026-2027 school year.
New York City has a roughly century-long tradition of closing streets for children to play and learn. Open Streets for Schools builds on that tradition by allowing participating schools to temporarily close streets to vehicles for drop-off and pick-up, recess and outdoor learning.
Street Redesigns at Schools Across the Five Boroughs
NYC DOT is implementing street safety upgrades on streets adjacent to more than 300 schools in 2026, including projects that will permanently improve Open Streets near schools on Beaumont Avenue in the Bronx and Avenue B in Manhattan.
This month, NYC DOT will begin major bike and pedestrian improvements on Courtlandt Avenue, Park Avenue and Morris Avenue in the Bronx, benefitting more than 10 schools in the area. The project includes school-specific improvements, including a large sidewalk extension with asphalt art in front of P.S. 1 on East 153rd Street, as well as 3.7 miles of bike lanes and a protected bike lane loop around the NYCHA Andrew Jackson Houses.
The agency is also advancing safety projects at schools across the city, including:
- Coney Island Avenue from Turner Place to Hinckley Place, adjacent to P.S. 889 and M.S. 890.
- Beach Channel Drive from Beach 77th Street to Beach 88th Street and Beach 98th Street to Beach 108th Street, and Rockaway Beach Boulevard from Beach 109th Street to Beach 110th Street, in collaboration with adjacent schools.
- Elton Avenue from East 153rd Street to Third Avenue, adjacent to the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball Charter School.
"Implementing Sammy's Law around our schools will make New York City's streets safer for children, and I am thrilled to see hundreds of 15 MPH school zones already installed," said Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick. "Together with school zone speed cameras and new approaches like the Clarkson Open Street gate, these measures will help keep students, families, school staff and surrounding communities safer."
"For too long, we've asked parents to rush their kids across intersections that were built for speed, not for safety: that has to change," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "I'm elated DOT is moving forward with a robust slate of proposals to improve safety for Manhattan's school children, including expanding 15 MPH school slow zones under Sammy's Law, implementing an Open Street Gate on Clarkson St. and advancing street redesigns in front of more than 300 schools in 2026 alone. I'm grateful to Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn for prioritizing the safety of Manhattan's school children, and I look forward to working in partnership to deliver street safety improvements across every corner of our borough."
"We have to make sure our kids can get to and from school safely, and this back-to-school announcement delivers on that promise," said Council Member and Transportation Chair Shaun Abreu. "From the largest-ever expansion of Sammy's Law to the first-ever gate on a school Open Street, the city is proving that safer, more welcoming school streets are possible. I look forward to working with Commissioner Flynn and his team to bring these improvements to even more schools across the city."
"Clarkson Street will soon be a safer, more welcoming block for the students of City-As-School and M.S. 721, and for every family who walks it every morning, thanks to the open street gate," said Council Member Carl Wilson. "I'm proud to see NYC DOT bring this Rues aux Écoles-inspired gate to our community, alongside wider sidewalks, new seating and safer crossings that put kids first. I want to thank Mayor Mamdani for his continued investment in Sammy's Law and in street safety citywide. Expanding 15 MPH school slow zones to hundreds of schools this year is exactly the kind of bold, life-saving action our streets need."
"For a decade, members of Families for Safe Streets fought to pass Sammy's Law, giving DOT a crucial tool to save lives. With school starting, we need to slow down dangerous drivers across our city," said Ben Furnas, Executive Director at Transportation Alternatives. "Redesigning and reducing speeds on the streets in front of schools is a common-sense measure to protect the youngest New Yorkers, and every school deserves an Open Street!"
"Clarkson Street will be New York City's first school street designed with a swing arm gate, creating a welcoming, safe outdoor space where students of all abilities can gather and enjoy spending time outside with their entire school community. This block, which will also feature a street seat, including space for students to garden, will be a model for schools across the entire city, thanks to the immense support and engagement from staff and students at City-As and M721," said Sabina Sethi Unni, Community Planner at Open Plans. "Building safe, accessible open spaces is incredibly important for our youth, and permanent infrastructure helps reduce staffing burden for schools. This will establish a new place for students to learn and develop, adding opportunities for outdoor education, while also eliminating the risks posed by crashes during recess and at pick up and drop off. This project was made possible by a Community Placemaking Grant from Project for Public Spaces and supported by General Motors."
"We're thrilled to see this pilot come to life, creating a safer, more welcoming space for students and neighbors alike," said Nate Storring, Co-Executive Director of Project for Public Spaces. "It shows what's possible when streets are designed around the people who actually use them. We hope this success can serve as a model for student-focused safe streets across the city and beyond."
"The school street extends beyond the corners of Varick and Houston. This shows our students what their voices can really do," said Darius Nazario, New York Edge Beacon School Director, City-As-School/560M. "We're grateful for the school street. It's a landmark of community collaboration."
