Adolfo Carrion

Car-Free Sundays Return to the Bronx

In the early 1990's three and a half miles of the Grand Concourse, a major arterial roadway in the Bronx, was closed to cars every Sunday from July through November (kind of like Bogota Colombia's Ciclovia). The closures provided residents with much-needed open space to bike, walk, play and develop a sense of community with neighbors. Despite its popularity, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani killed the program in 1996.

By Jason Varone

1:12 PM EDT on June 7, 2007

In the early 1990’s three and a half miles of the Grand Concourse, a major arterial roadway
in the Bronx, was closed to cars every Sunday from July through November (kind of like Bogota Colombia’s Ciclovia).
The closures provided residents with much-needed open space to bike, walk, play and develop a sense of community with neighbors.
Despite its popularity, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani killed the
program in 1996.

Last summer, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion and Transportation Alternatives revived Car-Free Sunday’s on a trial basis. This year, the program is back again for five or six Sunday’s between June and October as a part of Bronx On The Move, a series of family fitness events.

Check out the StreetFilm from last year’s Car-Free Sunday on the Grand Concourse:

Jason Varone

Jason Varone battles the streets everyday during a 9 mile commute on his bicycle from downtown Brooklyn to the Upper East Side. In addition to his efforts on Streetsblog, he is an artist making work related to the environment and technology. Examples of his work can be found at www.varonearts.org.

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