Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Car-Free Parks

Central Park Drivers Get Bigger Holiday Gift Than Usual

Photo: Ken Coughlin.
Photo: Ken Coughlin.

In what's shaping up to be a yearly tradition, car-free hours in Central Park have been cut back for the holiday season. Each weekday this month, on the southeast corner of the park drive, the park's pedestrians, joggers, cyclists, and dog-walkers have three fewer hours of quiet and safety.

The stretch of the park drive between Sixth Avenue and Central Park South and E. 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue is already open to cars more than any other part of the park. Year-round, it's open to cars from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m on weekdays. But between November 29 and December 30 this year, drivers have an extra three hours each day to use Central Park as a shortcut to the Upper East Side.

That means 2010 will actually be the second annual step backwards from the goal of a car-free Central Park. During the 2009 holiday season, the same stretch of road was opened to traffic until 9:00 p.m. For the two years before that, DOT had actually done away with the practice of imposing holiday hours to move more cars through the park.

Last year, Streetsblog reported that the decision to open up the park for longer wasn't made by DOT, the agency in charge of the city's streets, but rather by the NYPD.

Photo: Ken Coughlin.
Photo: Ken Coughlin.

This year, the changes aren't posted where vehicle hours are listed on either the Parks Department or Central Park websites, and the reduction in car-free time isn't included in DOT's annual holiday traffic plan [PDF]. The DOT press office referred our initial request to NYPD. We're awaiting a response from the police.

At least this year, the city put up sufficiently visible signage alerting those on foot or a bike that they're headed into traffic at hours when there normally isn't any. Last year, the only signs were laminated 8½ by 11-inch flyers stuck to signpoles. One reader wrote in to say that the same flyers are back, and they're just as hard to notice. This time, however, park users without an engine also merited the same electronic signs that alerted drivers of their extra hours.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Chaos’ Candidate? DoorDash Gave $1M to Super PAC Backing Cuomo, Who Decries Delivery Workers

Cuomo says he'll fix the chaos on the Streets by reining in app companies, but DoorDash just donated $1 million to help him win.

May 13, 2025

The Dave Colon Challenge: Whitney Tilson Is Pro-Bike, Pro-Business And Pro-Police

The political novice has 30 years experience cycling in the city but doesn't have a political record to help predict what his safe streets governance strategy would be.

May 13, 2025

Can New York City Fix Its Deadly ‘Conduit’ to JFK Airport?

The extra-wide medians on Conduit could fit 46 football fields, which combined with extra-wide travel lanes makes the strip prone to speeding and crashes.

May 13, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Bike Your Mayor to Work Day

It's the final day of our mayoral questionnaire week. Plus other news from a busy day!

May 13, 2025

Monday’s Headlines: ‘We Speak English in America’ Edition

Read that talk bubble. That's really what the cop said to a man under arrest. Plus other news from a busy weekend.

May 12, 2025
See all posts