NYC DOT Announces Return of Car-Free Earth Day Celebration

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2026
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NYC DOT Announces Return of Car-Free Earth Day Celebration

NYC DOT will celebrate the 56th anniversary of Earth Day on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Citi Bike will offer free one-day passes to all riders

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the return of Car-Free Earth Day - bringing car-free streets and events in all five boroughs. The annual event, hosted by NYC DOT, makes select city streets car-free and promotes activism and education surrounding climate change, environmentalism, and sustainable modes of transportation.

"Car-Free Earth Day is a reminder that we only have one planet-and that our streets play a critical role in our fight against climate change," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "Transportation is the second biggest source of carbon emissions in New York City, and finding ways to make clean transportation options quicker, easier, and more affordable is key. We encourage all New Yorkers to come out to enjoy temporary public art, programming, music, and other activities at dozens of car-free streets around New York City."

Through the support of Lyft, on Car-Free Earth Day, Citi Bike will offer unlimited 30-minute rides on a classic Citi Bike for 24 hours.

First launched in 2016, Car-Free Earth Day originally converted select Manhattan streets into public plazas and car-free streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and local businesses. Car-Free Earth Day has expanded to locations throughout the five boroughs - connecting Open Streets, plazas, and accessing over 1,000 miles of NYC's Bike Network! Environmental programming is offered by City agencies and community organizations along the routes to promote activism and education surrounding climate change and sustainability. NYC DOT is proud to partner with local artists to bring exciting performances to the event.

Signature event locations are listed below, and additional information can be found at nyc.gov/carfreenyc.

Manhattan:

• Broadway: 17th Street to 46th Street
• St. Nicholas Avenue: 181st Street to 185th Street
• Dyckman Street: Broadway to La Marina/Inwood Hill Park

Queens:

• Woodside Avenue: 75th Street to 78th Street

Brooklyn:

• Fifth Avenue: 41st Street to 45th Street

The Bronx:

• East 188th Street: Grand Concourse to Valentine Avenue

Staten Island:

• Port Richmond Avenue: Castleton Avenue to Bennett Street

NYC DOT also commissioned artists to provide temporary, environmentally focused artworks through the NYC DOT Art program. The popular NYC Art Stop Letters will come to Car-Free Earth Day with an original design by NYC-based illustrator Molly Magnell, showcasing springtime in a car-free urban utopia.

NYC DOT Art will also present two sculptural installations at Car-Free Earth Day. New York-based interdisciplinary artist Duy Hoàng will present An Indicating Cycle, a sculptural book highlighting different indicator species that reflect current environmental conditions due to their sensitivity to climate change. The "pages' reference figures and diagrams in scientific textbooks and museological specimen drawers. By turning the pages visitors can learn about the species' life cycles while underscoring their active participation in the caring and stewarding our environment. A large scale-installation by New York-based artist Frahydel Falczuk, titled The Plastic Sea, will evoke the sensation of being submerged in a "sea of plastic," as a commentary on waste and consumption. Participants are invited to collaborate by weaving colorful strips of non-recyclable film plastic into green mesh, transforming discarded materials into immersive surfaces that ripple like ocean waves. Artists were selected through recent open calls from NYC DOT Art. More about NYC DOT Art initiatives and open calls at nyc.gov/DOTArt.