Mayor de Blasio announced Thursday that the city will ban cars from traveling North of 72nd street in Central Park year-round. This will make the “park drives dedicated solely to recreation for the first time in more than a century,” according to the parks department. “The changes will restore major sections of two of the city’s crown jewel parks to their original vision as recreational paths, making the parks healthier, safer and more accessible to millions of New Yorkers.” The ban starts on June 29.
Parts of the loop road are currently open to cars on weekdays, although the entire park is already car-free on weekends (aside from emergency vehicles and vehicles associated with events like races).
The four transverse roads that cross the park will remain open. The parks department said it studied the impact of closing the loop drive above 72nd, which has happened for the past two summers, and found that it doesn’t increase congestion.
Not sure why they are open to vehicles at all.
Just close them all and let the walkers and bikers use the park without worrying about taxis, tourists from Jersey or other vehicles running them dowm.
I am delighted with the decision since I am 73 and ride my bike around the loop whwnever weather permits. It will be considerably safer for everyone enjoying the park. Bravo!
A-fricken-Men! Good move BDB!
I love it. I’d love even more to be able to walk on the blessedly car-free roadways without being in constant danger from biking maniacs who use them as their own private race tracks. I move quickly for a lady of a certain age, but especially on weekends it’s nearly impossible for people on foot to cross the East or West Drives at the designated signals, and these guys have no compunction about riding in the walking lanes. While you’re on the subject, Mr. Mayor, how about really separating the walking lanes from the biking lanes — with tasteful concrete dividers, maybe. Or ivy-covered electric fence.
I’m not a de Blasio supporter, but I have to give him credit on this one. This will be a nice improvement to Central Park.
They should just ban cars from the park completely and make it a refuge from traffic.
And my cross town rush commute just got longer adding all of the cars that would normally drive thru rather than across. Yay. I can see doing in the summer, but all year?
My same concern.
awww, let’s all cry and play a small violin for Erica :'(
It is a nice gesture, but there are so many parks department and Central Park Conservancy vehicles zooming around that I really don’t see how the park will be “car free” (I have found them to often be reckless and inconsiderate). In fact, they park all over the 97th street traverse in the park congesting much of the walkway.
Why just above 72nd Street? Why not the whole park (except for the transverse roads)?
It’s now time to restripe the lanes and split the difference between runners/walkers and bicyclists.
Cmon WSR –this is old news & I love you! Dont portray this as news after all this time (haha 2 days? Blame the modern news cycle). Rather why not do one of your fab “open for discussion” posts?
Thank Goodness our Mermaid-Parade-going Mayor did this instead of his original campaign promise of banning carriage horses. LOVE the horses in the Park, NOT the autos.
The Bikes can keep the park but stay the heck off the roads. Especially the ones riding in the middle of lanes.
I’m afraid that this may add congestion for those of us below W 72.
Give it a couple of months and the same folks saying what a great idea this is will be back complaining about it. The hits will be more congestion on the streets around the park along with the increase in pollution, cars that are moving put out a lot less CO2 etc than stop and go traffic. Which is what they will be trapped in. they will also be complaining that with the increase of cars there has been an increase in near and/or actually accidents.
I wonder will our Mayor stop using the CP drives for his motorcade? He regularly uses the parts of the drive that don’t have cars on them on them to speed his travel.
Another bone headed move by our idiot mayor. The cars obey the the traffic signs and as one previously mentioned this does nothing for all the parks vehicles, concession vehicles and host of other vehicles that do not drive on the road. Perhaps do something about the manic cyclists that have total disregard to the walking folks and the rules of the road. Seems I hear more about cyclists hitting pedestrians that cars hitting pedestrians.
Amen!
Shopper,
That’s because you only hear what you want to hear. Like Alta mentioned, the amount of injuries and deaths caused be drivers is vastly more than those caused be cyclists. But you’re not all to blame, part of the problem is the media likes to cover events that don’t happen often due to its shock value, ie a cyclists striking a pedestrian. Drivers striking pedestrians, well that’s just an every day occurance isn’t it? Who wants to hear about the same old “news”?!
I agree Shopper. Many bikers are no different than smokers, selfish people with no regard for others. It’s one thing to leisurely ride a bike and slow down at cross walks. It’s another to never stop at a red light and fly right by pedestrians that are crossing with the light. These people sicken me since they think that laws don’t apply to them, the same way smokers can just throw lit items onto the ground and blow smoke in everyone’s faces.
I will say that the same rules should apply to pedestrians, who should wait for traffic lights and not weave between bikers who have the right of way. Waiting 15 extra seconds to cross the street really isn’t that hard. This way responsible bikers aren’t at risk either.
+1
But shopper sounds biased when he/she mentions hearing more accidents cause by cyclists than by drivers. That’s simply not true.
You may hear that, but statistically it’s simply not the case.
Pedestrians and Cyclists killed by drivers in 2013: 16,059.
Pedestrians Killed by Cyclists: 1.
Sorry, 178 killed.
16,059, Injured.
In the park? Seriously? I’m talking in the park. And I walk across the park every single morning and I have yet to see a single cyclist stop at a red light. Most of the time I get the finger and an f… You if I mention it’s a red light. And, as a cyclist for over 30 years, both road and single track mtb, I have an utmost respect for the law abiding citizen whether on the bike or walking. But running a red light with folks in the cross walk is wrong. No matter how you rationalize it. Just like smoking in the park and tossing the but on the ground is. Ok, I’ll get off my soap box now. Because obviously most folks could care less.
@Shopper The reason why most (all?) of the spandex bikers don’t stop as the red lights is that they use clipless pedals. So stopping means having to unclip at least one shoe. Not to mention that their hands are usually not near the break lever (the triathlon bikers use rest handlebars.)
This is how the last women was killed in Central Park. The biker didn’t break, but instead yelled out and tried to avoid the pedestrians and struck her.
Of course afterwards it’s described as an “accident” but a completely preventable one.
Wow. I did not know that many people were killed in the park by cars. Although 16k deaths in the PARK does seem excessive.
The bikes are a bigger threat to peds than cars… Damn liberals always make things worse!
JP McEvoy,
Sorry but you’re not entitled to your opinion unless you can make valid claims to support it.
Pedestrians and Cyclists killed by drivers in 2013: 16,059.
Pedestrians Killed by Cyclists: 1.
Sorry, 178 killed.
16,059, Injured.
What war on cars?
I don’t own a car, but I disagree with this move. I rather have the city prohibit the construction of new developments above 72nd street rather that prohibit cars above 72nd street.
Unfortunately, and for most of you who don’t know how the city works, the city is attempting to appease those who complain about cars and insist on a park free of cars by throwing you a bone. If the city was serious, they would prohibit cars below 72nd street. The number of cars that travel above 72nd street is nothing to complain about , , , its below 72nd street that has the issues. But they also know that the masses will take and accept anything thrown at them.
Ps: from what my City Hall sources are telling me ,,, there are whispers about bike free zones in the near future (within the next two years). Banning bikes in Central Park during peak pedestrian hours (when people walk to and from work). The number of close calls and people getting hit has called for some action to be considered.
@AC The masses know everything happens in stages. 966 Weekends car-free 6 am to 6 pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day.
1967 Weekend and Holiday hours expanded to year round in Central, Prospect and Forest Parks.
1968 Along with weekends and Holidays, loop drives are car-free on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 7 pm to 10:30 pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day.
1969 Car-free hours: Saturdays, sunrise to 7 pm. Weekdays unchanged.
1972 One-time experimental “Parks Week”, May 22-26, Monday to Friday 11 am to 3 pm, the first weekday car-free hours.
1975 Weekday no-car hours instituted, Monday to Friday, 11 am to 3 pm, June 2 to Labor Day.
1978 Car-free schedule extended: Weekdays 10 am to 4 pm and 7 pm to 11 pm. Car-free “summer season” extended to May 1 to October 22. (The NYC Marathon)
1979 Blue Ribbon Panel’s plan (PDF) accepted. Weekends are made car-free full-time. Weekday car-free hours reduced to 10 am to 3 pm and 7 pm to 10 am. Bike/pedestrian lane added to loop.
1981 Cars allowed to intrude on lower loop, 6th Ave to 72nd St. during weekday car-free period.
1992 W. 110th St., W. 106th St and 5th Ave. entrances closed to cars.
1994 “Summer hours” extended to 10 months of the year; January 1 to first week of November (marathon).
2004 Speed limit on the loop drive reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph. West 90th and East 102nd Street entrances and exits closed to cars. West 77th and East 90th entrances closed to cars. West 72nd street slip-ramp closed to cars. People reclaim overnight and early mornings in the park. Cars get to enter 7 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 7 pm. HOV 2+ rule on West drive during morning rush hours.
2006 Fractional closures of the loop drive instituted. East drive closed mornings and West drive closed afternoons.
2007 Morning car-free time on West drive extended one hour, from 7 am to 8 am.
– See more at: https://transalt.org/issues/cpark/chrono#sthash.nZvCwXN9.dpuf
2017 Park closed to all traffic all day everyday.
NOTE: There is no reason for cars to be *in* Central Park as it’s a park! I own a car in the Manhattan and have never driven *in* Central Park! Cars/buses still have crosstown transverses @ 65/66th, 79/81st, 85th/86th, and 95th/96th.
Wasn’t one lane for runners and one lane for bikers enough? I loved the leisurely drive thru Central Park as I live above the park and traffic on either side going south is horrendous. Once a week I would treat myself to a taxi to work instead of riding the crowded subway. I can kiss that goodbye now 🙁