In the summer of 2008, an advocacy group called Transportation Alternatives began campaigning for Prospect Park to be car free, and now it’s happening for the rest of the summer, nine years later. Signage has already gone up to alert drivers of these new changes. Michael Bloomberg, New York City’s mayor at the time, also considered the banning of cars proposal, “It would be great if we could keep cars out of all parks,” said Bloomberg.
Starting July 17, the 526-acre Brooklyn park will be 100% free of all cars until September 11. Instead, the park will be used only by pedestrians, bike riders, etc. However, this is not the first time the park has been restricted for drivers. Mayor Bill de Blasio banned cars along the West Drive in July 2015, with access being permitted only from 7am – 9am on weekdays.
The Department of Transportation said the new changes to the East Drive are likely to have a minimal effect on traffic, with less than 300 cars an hour commuting through the park during the summer. “As we already saw when we made the Prospect Park West Drive car-free two years ago, a safer and quieter park improves safety and enjoyment for thousands of park users,” said Mayor de Blasio. “And has a negligible effect on traffic outside the park.” The DOT released a traffic analysis after the West Drive closure which revealed the alternative southbound route most effected saw a measly increase in travel time of less than a minute.
Residents in the community and local officials appear to have gotten what they wanted, after submitting several requests for an extended ban of vehicles since the 2015 West Park closure, according to the DOT. According to Curbed New York, the President of the Prospect Park Alliance, Sue Donoghue, released a statement regarding the new ban. “A key part of our mission is engaging the community and enhancing the park experience. We look forward to seeing how this works for all park users.” The alternative northbound route is expected to be monitored by the DOT during rush hour to determine the actual effects of this new ban.
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