Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Car-Free Parks

Car-Free Central Park Trial Picks Up More Community Board Endorsements

By Brad Aaron | Jun 8, 2011 | 3 Comments

Support for a car-free Central Park trial is gaining momentum, with three additional community board nods. There are two proposals in play. The first would close the park to cars for four months, from the July 4 weekend through the first weekend in November. A second plan, from the Manhattan Borough Board (borough boards are […]

Will Two CB 9 Members Be Enough to Derail Car-Free Central Park Trial?

By Noah Kazis | Jun 3, 2011 | 4 Comments

Despite the impressive shows of support from three Manhattan community boards over the last two weeks, the effort to take cars off of the Central Park loop for a summer-long trial hit a major snag last night. In a resounding vote of two to one with two abstentions, the transportation committee of CB 9 voted […]

Upper East Side Joins Chorus of Car-Free Central Park Supporters

By Noah Kazis | Jun 2, 2011 | 3 Comments

The momentum is growing for a summer-long trial of a car-free Central Park. Two weeks ago, the transportation and parks committees of Manhattan Community Board 7, representing the Upper West Side, voted unanimously to support such a trial. Last week, the proposal passed the transportation committee of Midtown’s CB 5, again unanimously. And last night, […]

UWS Shows Support for Car-Free Park, But Broader Campaign Is Lacking

By Noah Kazis | May 17, 2011 | 2 Comments

Last night’s unanimous votes in support of a summer-long car-free Central Park by Manhattan Community Board 7’s parks and transportation committees moved the ball forward for advocates of car-free parks. With no movement at the mayoral level on the issue, any successful push will have to come from the bottom up. Similar statements of community […]

Gale Brewer Introduces Bill to Make Central Park, Prospect Park Car-Free

By Noah Kazis | Mar 23, 2011 | 19 Comments

Upper West Side City Council Member Gale Brewer introduced legislation today that would restore Central and Prospect Parks to their original car-free status. Brewer’s bill would ban private vehicles from using the park drives in either park; official vehicles would still be allowed to use the roads. Brewer’s legislation would also commission a study examining […]

Tonight: Ask NYPD for a Return to Sanity in Central Park

By Ken Coughlin | Mar 14, 2011 | 20 Comments

Major crimes in Central Park may be up by 50 percent, but that hasn’t stopped significant resources from being spent on the ongoing NYPD crackdown targeting recreational cyclists in the park. Precinct officers are stopping cyclists for a variety of infractions, including spot equipment checks for missing bells and lights, but most notoriously are handing […]

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