Car-Free Hours in Prospect Park? Fuhgeddaboutit!

Sources said city officials were poised to cut Prospect Park's hours last week as well - but that the plans were scuttled at the last minute by Brooklyn's own cheerleader, Borough President Marty Markowitz, who has long opposed banning cars from Prospect Park due to traffic concerns.

"It was a done deal. It was supposed to be both parks," said a source. "But Marty Markowitz blocked it."

Sources said city officials had been planning to ban cars onProspect Park's East Drive in the evening so that, like Central Park,there would be morning hours on one drive, evening hours on the other.

"Everyone signed off on it, and then, boom," said the source.

Transportation Department officials declined to comment on Markowitz's role.

Markowitz spokeswoman Laura Sinagra said the borough president wasnever given a formal proposal to sign off on but that his long-standingposition remains unchanged.

"Our historical position has been that further limiting hours wouldresult in unacceptable traffic backup," Markowitz said in a statement."The current hours are appropriate to the needs of the many in ourborough who must rely on these roads to get to work and school.