It can’t come soon enough for the park’s horses:

http://gothamist.com/2011/07/26/cab_crashes_into_carriage_horse_nea.php

All you need to do is ride or jog at 6 pm on the east side of the park to see how dangerous  it is with all the congestion, with cars outnumbered 7:1

We didn’t get a car-free trial this summer, but it appears from the letter that DOT created a page in response to the community board resolutions (at least it’s new to me).  See http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/bikes-centralpark.shtml
The page presents a chronology, based on TA’s own, of the now 45-year campaign to scale back car access to the loop road.  Reading the list of piecemeal steps, one every five years or so, with a prolonged drought during the 80s, is a lesson in the power of the automobile and in politicians’ fear of taking a privilege away from the motorist minority.  Now we’re finally on the brink of writing the last entry in that chronology.  DOT seems proud that no other administration has advanced the ball so far up the field.  I’m sure it will not want to see the next administration get the credit for taking it the final 10 yards into the end zone.  

Commuting through the Park on 72nd St Drive, to and from work, is frightening during the hours cars are allowed.  Riding a bike on the lower loop in the morning leads to harassment by the few cars that begin coming through at 7:15 am.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a motor vehicle traveling at less than 25 mph, which is way too fast a speed limit in the Park.