DoT is full of it; research conducted by TA found that the reduction in speed limit to 25 mph had no effect whatsoever on the speed of cars on the Loop.

Back in 2003 when the speed limit was 30, TA found that on the Loop:

-90% of motorists drive exceed the legal speed limit;
-67% exceed the speed limit by 5mph or more;
-22.5% exceed the speed limit by 10mph or more;
(Here’s the study: http://www.transalt.org/press/releases/030701radartests.pdf).

Then, after the limit was reduced to 25, TA did another study and found:

0.14% (one driver) traveled at or below the posted speed limit [25 mph].
3.03% traveled between 26mph and 30mph.
22.34% traveled between 31mph and 35mph.
31.41% traveled between 36mph and 40mph.
10.66% traveled between 41mph and 45mph.
.86% traveled above 45mph.

(Here’s the study: http://www.transalt.org/press/releases/051021SpeedStudyData.pdf)

In other word, 10% of cars traveled at or under 30 mph on the loop road when the limit was 30, and 3.17% traveled at or under 30 mph when the limit was 25 mph.

Accepting that there could differences in how the data was gathered and other factors that could affect results, the best you can say is that the reduction in speed limit (and the sporadic enforcement efforts by NYPD) has no effect on traffic speeds.

And yes, the HOV restriction is observed by about 25% of motorists, aside from taxi and livery drivers and their passengers.

The only effective way to regulate cars in Central Park is prevent them from entering.

Any way to use this to get fewer hours of cars in Prospect Park in the mornings?

DoT should definitely take the opportunity on August 6 (and then again in September when we can assume everyone knows about the change) to do some research on the impact of the one hour closing. It should measure whether more pedestrians and bicyclists are using the Park during that hour, see if there is a noticeable increase in congestion on CPW, Columbus or 5th (the likely alt. routes for diverted traffic) during that hour. And I’d love to see a screen line that measures how many people pass by the Loop at West 72nd Street in an hour by motor vehicle as compared to on bike or on foot. to pass up the opportunity to measure the impact of this unbelievably incremental measure is to essentially admit that it is nothing more than a token scrap tossed to the majority of non-motorists he city designed to be so small that it could not be assailed in the media as evidence that the administration is “anti-car”–hardly a principled basis for making policy.

I know principles only rarely drive policy but PlaNYC and its proponents tell us that things are different now. And my understanding is that the primary constituency against car-free CP is not the drivers themselves, but the residents in the Upper East West Sides who mistakenly believe closing the Park to cars will result in a permanent increase in congestion in their neighborhoods. If the opposition is arguing principles instead of interests, then gather the data you need to argue principles back.

As for the interests of the drivers through the park, about 1/3 to 1/2 are taxi and livery drivers, and another large increment are civil servants. That became clear to me one day while I watched the HOV checkpoint on West Drive last year (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAeEmEZI04Y) I expect a significant portion of the rest come from Westchester and New Jersey. Do we really have to give so much weight to those constituencies’ interests in saving a few minutes against that of Park users?

Morty,

I think the city would need state approval to institute EZ pass within the Park. And once the park started generating revenue based on auto access we would never see car-free parks.

But I’d like to see speeding cameras authorized by Albany and placed in the park.

No cars in Central Park would be great, in theory.

There is one major problem though.

At the moment Central Park is probably the only viable venue for a quick morning cycle workout. If cars are banned my guess is the road upkeep would transfer to the Parks Department, who probably don’t have the cash to maintain 6+ miles of road. The only thing worse than traffic on a road, is a road full of potholes, cracks, and weeds (roads deteriorate fast when not maintained properly).

Just a thought.

This is crap!!! I love central park. I like walking and driving through it. But, those people that say they want to enjoy the park, then enjoy the park!! Why are you in the area of vehicles. GO ON THE GRASS!!!! OR BETTER YET STAY IN THE LANES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FOR YOU!!! If you love the park so much, then go IN the park and on the grass. Or go in other areas. This is the only area that vehicle are allowed. I think the DOT should have only allowed vehicles during peak hours that means 3 hours a day in each direction 6-9 and then 4-6 in the evenings. I think that would have been fair to both parties. why can’t I enjoy the park. Driving through the park is a lovely way to start your day!!!! did anyone teach you to share!!!

Nicole, this is hardly crap. Since when should parks contain “areas for vehicles?” The whole concept of a park is that it is a refuge from the stress of urban living, including you joy-riding in your car when you have many better options.

Having cars roaring (I think we’ve established that few drivers obey the speed limit in the park) by within a few feet of people, children and pets is not acceptable, fair or in this spirit of sharing you write about. And I really doubt you enjoy walking next to the cars.

I’m with bicyblebelle – cars already occupy far more than their fair share of public space here. GET OUT OF OUR PARKS!!!

Here’s some photos and a video clip of the get-together Transportation Alternatives organized to celebrate the latest step toward a car-free Central Park. It could have gone a bit smoother–numerous motorists ignored the restriction and at least some Parks Department employees ahd not been informed–but it was an opportunity to do some driver education and speak with the DoT commissioner about the need to do more:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43954081@N00/sets/72157601259442941/

Philip, are you seriously saying that irresponsible cyclists are more of a threat than irresponsible drivers? Get real.

I agree with Philip. Why do bike riders feel like the rules of the road don’t apply to them? Bikes must follow the same traffic rules as cars. BUT, I have seen countless bikers blast through crosswalks, nearly killing babies in carriages. I’ve also seen them come perilously close to runners on purpose, putting themselves and runners at risk for serious injury or worse. And it’s not the fault of cars. I’ve seen this happen during hours when cars are not in the park and bikes have the run of the whole road yet they still choose to come too close to runners and walkers. I am all for banning cars from the park but if bikers are the ones who are leading the charge, they should clean up their own behavior in the park. Then, their argument against the cars will be taken far more seriously. I think, at a minimum, park police should issue expensive citations to bikers who flout traffic regulations.

Nicole – The designers of Central Park, Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, never meant for the park to be used by cars. Their goal was to create an oasis away from the “confinement, bustle, and monotonous street-division of the city” and they worried that “a turbid stream of coarse traffic” would disrupt the park’s tranquility. Even then they were concerned with traffic invading the park and that was 150 years ago! Remembering that their vision was for our peace, health and enjoyment of nature, that Central park has been used as a highway straight through Manhattan for so many decades has really been been a travesty.

Steve – Alas, Mike and Philip are not generalizing about the behavior of cyclists in the park. I run marathons and Central Park is my main training area. I have been there as early as 3am and as late as 10pm, and when I worked uptown at 98th Street and Madison I ran many times in the middle of the day as well. This has given me the opportunity to observe traffic flow in the park (bikes and cars) for many years.

While I agree that the majority of traffic problems are caused by cars (no, they do NOT adhere to the speed limit and I’ve seen drivers push dangerously into the rec lane to speed past other vehicles), sadly, I have also seen hits and many near misses because cyclists were speeding in the rec lanes even when the drives were closed to traffic. In their defense, I will say that the regular cyclists who race/train (you know them by their gear and the fact that they are usually on the drive and NOT the rec lanes) are generally not a problem. The biggest problem I have seen are the tourists and casual users of the park because they do not know the bike rules. They ride blithely wherever they please at any speed; I have even dodged them on the reservoir, which is crazy! They rarely control their own bikes or their children. The many, many tourists who frequent the park are the most egregious offenders. Of the two rec lanes, the outer lane has a BIG, WHITE depiction of a BIKE, but I still find myself dodging bikes barreling up behind me or right toward me in the inner most rec lane. If I had a dollar for every time I leapt out of the way, pointed to the outside lane and shouted “Bike lane!” I would be able to retire.

Just last week as I rounded the southern end of the park I was struck on the back of my right heel. I nearly fell, but righted myself and turned around to see a stunned woman on a bike. I could scarcely believe it, but I had been struck by her front wheel. “Are you all right?” I said sharply. My inner dialog was “When I say are you all right, what I am really asking is “Are you on DRUGS? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? How could you possibly be riding so close to me when I am in the innermost rec lane and there is NO traffic on the drive?” My tone and hard stare communicated exactly what I mean though. She stuttered that she was sorry and “unused to bike riding.” Um, okay. That would have been cold comfort if I had sprained or broken my ankle.

Having said ALL of that, I am THRILLED at the prospect of an extra hour in the morning and being able to run after work in a car-free Central Park. For so many years I’ve had to contend with breathing tailpipe emissions as I ran around the park. I often wondered if my enjoyment of running and the great outdoors wasn’t ultimately going to lead to poor health! Now I can literally breathe easier. It will be a great day when traffic is banned entirely; that will be a dream come true.

When I made my comment about cyclists, I was specifically referring to the fitness cyclists. I understand that tourists are clueless wherever they are and I have pretty much accepted that fact. I do assume, however, that the fitness cyclists are primarily locals.

And their behavior honestly seems malicious. I run every day in the park in the innermost lane and I’ve been “buzzed” by cyclists in the racing gear too many times to count. I’ve also looked on in horror as they have sped through crowded crosswalks against the light, sometimes coming close to killing people. I’ve seen several collisions with injuries where the cyclist was clearly speeding through a crosswalk against the light and at fault. Yet every time, they scream and yell at the person they hit. They also scream for people to get out of the way as they speed through.

It really doesn’t matter if the cyclists find in inconvenient to stop when pedestrians are crossing in a marked crosswalk and they have the light. It’s the law. Because cyclists are the most outspoken critics of the poor behavior of drivers (and I do agree it is poor), they really should follow the rules themselves.

Ped-bike conflicts are not entirely bad. They demonstrate the inadequacy of the space they are forced to share. They force the issue to a resolution.

NY City is difficult enough to get around without Park Drive being closed to traffic – it is easily the fastest way down to Central Manhattan from the West Side. Until the problems at Columbus Circle are fixed – and I don’t see them being fixed any time soon – West Park Drive should be re-opened to vehicles – NO HOV restrictions – 45 mph speed limit – go ride a stationary bike or use a treadmill for exercise and get the heck out of my way when I am driving. Also when it is cold out – nobody uses the park drives anyway to exercise – those that do are crazy and deserve to be run down. When it is 20 degrees out – it is snowing – why keep it open for walkers/runners/riders NOT to use it???

Take NY Back for Cars…….

I give this troll a -1 out of 10.