Car-Free Prospect Park? Blech!
Well, that’s not exactly the position of Community Boards 7 and 14, but they do have some reservations about the three-month trial of a car-free zone in Prospect Park. Fearful that neighborhood streets will clog with traffic if cars are turned out from the park’s circular drive, they’re asking for an environmental impact statement to…
Well, that’s not exactly the position of Community Boards 7 and 14, but they do have some reservations about the three-month trial of a car-free zone in Prospect Park. Fearful that neighborhood streets will clog with traffic if cars are turned out from the park’s circular drive, they’re asking for an environmental impact statement to be prepared. “A car-free park ‘could have a major environmental impact,'” said Assemblyman Jim Brennan at a press conference yesterday. According to Streetsblog, “he co-signed a letter with the CB chairs asking DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan for the EIS.” They prefer that the park not be closed to traffic, even for a trial period. Needless to say, this isn’t sitting well with bike advocates, including Transportation Alternatives, which has been working to rid the park of cars for many years; the move by Brennan et al also comes on the heels of a petition in favor of the car-free park signed by 10,000 that was delivered to City Hall two weeks ago. This move brought out the warm and fuzzy side of CB7’s Randy Peers: “”We abhor the tactics of the bicycle advocacy group,” he said.
Foes Car-Free Prospect Park Trial Demand EIS [Streetsblog]
Photo from A Year in the Park.
I’m in the park running or playing frisbee at least four or five days per week, never drive there, and I despise lardass motorists as much as anyone, but I think some perspective is in order.
Cars are only allowed in the park for a brief period in the a.m. and p.m. rush hours, and for the a.m. they’re limited to the Manhattan-bound portion of the road loop. For the vast majority of the time, and for the entire 500+ acre park except for a single roadway, the park already IS car-free. You pretty much have to go out of your way to encounter cars in the park as it is.
CMU – try it after work. 6:30 or 7, just before they close the road again. Quite a lot of people, especially in summer.
And my point with the swerving to avoid the squirrel was that it happened so quickly the car driver didn’t have time to check his blind side. He (she) just swerved and was just lucky there were no cyclists or pedestrians to his left at the time.
Cars and a large number of people in close proximity is a recipe for disaster.
I’ve spent a LOT of time running and cycling in the park. The danger from cars is significant. The quality of life impact from cars similarly large. But the number of cars is relatively small. It only takes one idiot driving at high speed (a frequent occurrence) or blasting a horn (also frequent) to have a negative impact of a lot of people’s safety and enjoyment.
When there are cars in the park, you’ll see a lot of cyclists and runners crammed into the two small inside lanes while the smaller number of cars take over the vast majority of the space. Banning cars outright will force a small number of vehicles into streets that aren’t especially busy – even at rush hour. A minor inconvenience for car owners. A big safety and quality of life win for the rest of us.
Have to play devil’s advocate to counter all this overblown stuff.
Firstly, assuming they’re not expanding the hours, the park’s closed to traffic when, probably, 95% of people are there…evenings, weekends. I cycle there at 9am. I see probably 100 people in the entire park. Are they so discommoded by cars? now 4-6 pm ma be different…schools are out, kids around, so I’d agree that maybe cars should not be there. Maybe.
Secondly, stop with the “I saw a car swing into the cycle lane” junk…as you yourself noted, it was to avoid a squirrel. If there were no cycles around why shouldn’t the car avoid an animal? If the car did endanger a cyclist, you’d have a point, but I suspect not.
And with this “run over by a cyclist” (to spread the rant)…what, you can’t avoid a cyclist as you cross? Or look him in the eye and force him to go around or slow down? I’ve done both, in both directions.
I’m amazed how intolerant everyone is of everyone else. I’m waiting for someone to complain about the “speed-walkers mowing down little kids and strollers.” Or about that woman with a a walker holding up other peds, why can’t she stay home?
Finally, speaking as a cyclist, since there are wide bike lanes, and not all that many cycles when cars are around, I’ve rarely felt intimidated. And I used to ride with my 10-yr old back from the Tennis center at 5pm, with cars speeding by and he didn’t feel intimidated either.
Hey where are the frequent posters?
Blackstoner: I was there and didn’t see anything wrong with the people in the photo. The event was at 8am and 2 of those participating biked to work afterwards.
Polemicist: Yes if you consider anyone over 40 old, most of them were old. From what I observed they were no fatter than the average Brooklynite. The vast majority of Community Board members are employed and since all Community Board meetings take place during evening hours, working people are fully able to participate.
I will have to say, as someone who grew up on prospect park west, there has been an ever increasing volume of traffic, at ever increasing speeds. So I empathize with the concern that closing park will only re-route rush hour commuters on already clogged roads.
I think the open driving hours were already successfuly, substantially reduced. Also, while I understand Transit Alternative and other groups’ initiative, I can’t tell you how many times, as a pedestrian, I have almost been run over by a bike while crossing at a green light (in my favor). One even ran over my dog (while crossing on a leash), causing bicyclist to flip off.
sam:
well, one thing that is obvious about them is they are old and many are fat. Such people typically have very little concern for the future. Gluttony by its very nature is evidence of excessive self interest. The elderly too are always heavily resistant to change and motivated to maintain the status quo.
This is always the case with these community boards. No one else has time for them; we’re all working.
why is the assumption that a car-fre park is only good for cyclists?
pedestrians, joggers, skaters, children…everyone benefits from a car-free park…except for a very vocal minority of selfish drivers
All this support for bicyclists!!! They never seem to have any regard for pedestrians.