Ed Pincar, DOT, Nialls Fallon of Cervo’s & Canal Street Merchants:
Fix Canal Open Streets!
Limit outdoor seating to address the extreme oversaturation of alcohol service in a public space.

Residents & Businesses demand that the DOT adopt the Canal Open Streets Community Working Plan for a safe and successful Open Streets season. These are reasonable asks from people who live and work here. Without these guidelines, the DOT can expect more of the same unchecked chaos and community complaints from last year.

1) Limits on Outdoor Dining Seating:
The 2024 season counted 300+ outdoor seats (100% of which belonged to private bars & restaurants – no public seating) on Canal Street alone, and a wall of sound could be heard from up to 2 blocks away.

✅ Open Streets should be limited to no more than 150 seats on Canal.

2) Reduced Operating Hours:
Open Street Partner’s egregious violations of their 10pm curfew (merchants were known to serve until 10:45pm, taking down the barricades after 11pm) have spurred an explosion of nightlife, drawing comparisons to “bourbon street” and “festival in the piazza.” (NYMag)

✅ We ask that the DOT implement 9pm closure to restore civility and decency in our neighborhood. Open Streets for Neighbors, not Nightlife.

3) A Functioning Emergency Access Lane:
Canal Open Streets is located on a main thoroughfare - Open Street Partner has proved incapable of their one responsibility: moving barricades for first responders. Emergency Responders must weave through 4 barricades and a sea of diners on Canal Street, adding to response time and endangering lives.

✅ DOT must prohibit seating on the south side of Canal St. in order to allow emergency egress. 

4) Enforcement and Accountability for Canal Street Merchants:
In the 2024 season, Open Streets Partners consistently violated curfews, flaunted the Smoke Free Air Act, blocked ADA sidewalk and hydrant access, created daily unreasonable noise. In addition, Partners neglected basic requirements as required by the Open Streets 2024 Rules; such as barricade maintenance, trash pickup, community notification. Their laissez-faire attitude toward our neighborhood attracted outside crowds looking to behave badly.

✅ In response to Open Streets Partners’ inability to abide by rules, the DOT should send regular enforcement and issue citations to Canal Street Merchants to encourage compliance.

5) Infrastructure and Support
DOT should add resources to support the massive crowds the Open Streets program attracts:

✅ Clear signage indicating Operational Guidelines such as closing times, no smoking at tables, no open containers/ bbqs / unpermitted gatherings / amplified sound, and contact phone number for Canal Street Merchants clearly posted in multiple languages at every barricade.

✅ Increased trash pickup and cleaning of crowd overflow areas like Seward Park.

✅ Friendly, multi-lingual staff (NOT PRIVATE SECURITY) to ensure civility and crowd control. Partner with a local BID to rebuild trust within the community.

✅ Addition of an Open Streets specific option for 311 complaints. Provide local precinct and Community Board with visibility into DOT Open Streets and Outdoor Dining complaints collected via the DOT website.

✅ Procedures for community feedback and escalation of problems.

✅ Open dialogue and a working relationship between Canal Street Merchants and the community in regards to Programming & Operations.

Updated March 9, 2025