Forest Hills’ ‘Restaurant Row’ is now an everyday dining plaza

The portion of 70th Road between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard will remain an outdoor dining plaza every day under a new city plan. Rendering courtesy of Matthew Celmer

By David Brand

Cars will soon be banned from a stretch of 70th Road in Forest Hills to make way for an everyday outdoor dining plaza, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.

In July, the city first prohibited car travel along a portion of 70th Road between Queens Boulevard and Austin Street, known as Restaurant Row, on weekends in response to advocacy from the local community board and the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce. The roadway is one of 87 locations that make up the city’s Open Streets initiative. 

Community Board 6 Chair Alexa Weitzman said the decision to expand the program to weekdays was “great news for our communities and for our restaurants.”

“It’s a great location for public transportation and a great destination for people all over Queens,” Weitzman said.

She said she hopes the city will continue the program past the Oct. 31 end date, a topic of conversation at the latest meeting of the Queens Borough Board. 

Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce President Leslie Brown played a key role in facilitating the 70th Road plaza, which has remained a popular destination for outdoor diners.

“The open streets program has really helped the restaurants that have been able to participate,” Brown said. “As we are not ready for full capacity indoor dining being able to be outside with extended seats seven days a week is a win for these restaurant owners.”

De Blasio and Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg announced new Open Streets hours on 40 roadways on Wednesday. The majority were located in Manhattan and 70th Road was the only location in Queens.