Aug 26, 2008 12:33 pm US/Eastern
Bicycle Activists Propose 'Car-Free' Prospect Park
Group 'Transportation Alternatives' Calls On Mayor Bloomberg To Consider Full-Time Ban In Famous Park
BROOKLYN (CBS) ―
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CBS 2's Magee Hickey was live at Brooklyn's famous Prospect Park on Tuesday morning, highlighting bicycle activist group Transportation Alternatives' proposal to Mayor Bloomberg for a car-free Prospect Park.
CBS
How does this sound: a totally "car-free" Prospect Park in Brooklyn? It's a proposal a group of bicycle activists is pushing hard for next summer.
According to the group Transportation Alternatives, the three-week experiment to shut down certain streets on the East Side of Manhattan to cars on August weekends has been such a huge success, that Mayor Michael Bloomberg should want to ban cars from Prospect Park as part of his lasting legacy. At least that's the argument the activist group is making.
To bicyclists, joggers, dog lovers and parents, it's a no-brainer.
"The best time for people to exercise is the same time cars are coming in so personally I think it's a good idea," said Prospect Park resident Mary-Powell Thomas.
Vehicular traffic is allowed in the park only for two hours in the morning and two hours at night, Monday through Friday. They say getting rid of cars altogether shouldn't be that difficult. But Brooklyn President Marty Markowitz has said the current arrangement strikes just the right balance between the needs of park visitors and people who live along the park's perimeter who worry about traffic buildup during morning and afternoon rush.
"I live a block away and I understand that it takes traffic off the side streets, but I can save myself a drive through Park Slope," said driver Pat Clarke.
The car-free park proponents are pushing for a three-month, car-free summer of 2009 to give the city the opportunity to study the effects of the street closures on traffic patterns and park usage.
Bloomberg recognized that while the idea sounds great, the reality is that the park happens to also be a main thruway, which helps ease congestion and provides better vehicular access for everyone.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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