Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

Streetfilms has been documenting the open streets movement for over seven years, beginning with our landmark film in 2007 on Bogota's Ciclovia, currently the most viewed Streetfilm of all time.

The next year, Mike Lydon of The Street Plans Collaborative decided to get an open streets event going in Miami, which led to his research for The Open Streets Project, a joint project with the Alliance for Biking & Walking.

Miami wasn't alone. In 2008, there were new open streets events in more than a dozen cities, including San Francisco, Portland and New York. All told, open streets events have increased tenfold since 2006.

"The Rise of Open Streets" examines the open streets movement from myriad perspectives -- how it began, how events are run, how they shape people's perceptions of their streets, and how creating car-free space, even temporarily, benefits people's lives. And it looks not only at big cities like Los Angeles, but smaller ones like Fargo, Berkeley, and Lexington.

We've interviewed some of the most important people in the movement, including former NYC DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and former Chicago DOT Commissioner Gabe Klein, as well as former Bogota Parks Commissioner Gil Penalosa and Enrique Jacoby, from the Pan American Health Organization.

We were proud to partner with The Street Plans Collaborative and the Alliance for Biking & Walking to produce this film, which we hope will encourage even more open streets events throughout the world. Funding for "The Rise of Open Streets" was graciously provided by the Fund for the Environment & Urban Life.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Falls Prey To Trump Purge

Some of the most basic technical resources cities use to build bike lanes and sidewalks were housed on a single government website, which was scrubbed shortly after Trump's inauguration. Now, advocates are scrambling to replace them.

February 24, 2025

Trump Aide Pushing End of Congestion Toll is Married to (Wait for It!) a Parking Garage Magnate

Alina Habba, the counselor to the president, is married to Gregg Reuben, who owns 28 parking garages across the city. Oligarchy much?

February 24, 2025

Can Monday’s Headlines Dodge DOGE?

Many cut. Very National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Much conflict of interest. So scare. Wow.

February 24, 2025

Friday Video: The Best Super Bowl Ad You’ll Never See

Every February, Automakers spend millions to get Americans into expensive cars they can't afford. What if we could do the same to get them onto a bike seat?

February 21, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Fear for Amtrak

Amtrak may not survive the second Trump administration, let alone the slow progress on expansion made under President Biden.

February 21, 2025
See all posts