With little traffic right now, legislation is expected to be introduced at the virtual city council meeting today that would shut many New York City streets in an effort to battle coronavirus.
This has widespread support among city lawmakers. Councilman Brad Lander says the legislation would close 75 miles of streets in all five boroughs to allow new Yorkers more room for social distancing and for exercise.
“Lots of New Yorkers are you know stuck in cramped apartments and don’t have good access to open space and we gotta survive this by doing social distancing but people also have to survive it with their mental health and their physical health.”
Mayor de Blasio is against the plan
“It doesn’t fit our reality in terms of safety. It doesn’t fit our reality in terms of enforcement.”
The mayor says he hopes to find some common ground with the council on the matter.