New York City is planning to clear certain roads of car traffic on three Saturdays in August, so that pedestrians and bicyclists can take over. The program, called ‘Summer Streets’, aims to let New Yorkers and visitors experience the city in a whole new way, unhindered by dangerous, loud, smelly NYC vehicle traffic.
From Gothamist:
According to the Sun, the zone will “run from the start of Centre Street in Lower Manhattan to 72nd Street on the Upper East Side by way of Lafayette Street, Fourth Avenue, and Park Avenue.” And the Downtown Express explains “On 15 major east-west streets, like Canal, 14th St. and 42nd St., cars will be allowed to cross the car-free zone.”
The roads will be closed on August 9, August 16, and August 23, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., with police managing traffic along the route. While some businesses are worried, City Councilman John Liu, who heads the council’s transportation committee, told the Sun, “This is not likely to create a huge ripple in the fabric of Manhattan. It may even begin to wean people off dependence on personal automobiles.”
What an awesome idea! If only some of these streets were shut down to automobiles year round, like ‘Las Ramblas’ in Barcelona and the many pedestrian thoroughfares in Copenhagen. Imagine how much more pleasant city life would be!
Link [Gothamist]
Photo credit: Flickr user alykat
