Established as part of a pandemic-era effort to increase access to open space, the 34th Avenue Open Street has become a citywide model and a beloved neighborhood fixture, though not without controversy. The 26-block, 1.3 mile thoroughfare is the longest Open Street in New York, operating 13 hours a day, 7 days a week. Jim Burke, one of the project’s largest advocates and stewards, will lead a tour of a portion of the Open Street, including a popular weekly Cumbia class.

From Urban Omnibus: In “Story of a Street,” we shared excerpts from Bridget Bartolini’s 34th Avenue Open Street Oral History project, documenting the ways in which the new pedestrian thoroughfare has changed neighborhood residents’ lives. As the barricades are installed each morning, new space is created for vending, teaching, learning, and exercising – but not driving.

See also: Queens’ contested public spaces in “Market Share” and “Beyond Diverse”