How a 1.3-mile stretch of street became a much-needed park space in Queens, New York

How a 1.3-mile stretch of street became a much-needed park space in Queens, New York

The spotlight During the COVID lockdowns of 2020, people in cities all over the world were desperate to get outside. As everything slowed down, residents and city governments organized to block off sections of some streets to cars, instead giving them over to pedestrians and leisure activities — a global phenomenon of “open,” “slow,” or “shared” streets, depending on the local parlance. One of the most lauded examples of a successful open street…