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

NYC Needs a Network of Car-Free Streets

The signs say Manhattan, but don’t be fooled, the island of Manhattan has no streets like this.

New York City in 2017 has several car-free blocks and pedestrianized street segments where traffic once rules, like Plaza 33 and Myrtle-Wyckoff Plaza. But unlike several other world cities, New York still doesn't have a connected grid of car-free streets.

That's true even in neighborhoods where pedestrians just don't fit on the available sidewalk space, like the Financial District, downtown Flushing, and Times Square (where the Broadway plazas form an archipelago, not a network).

Other cities have figured out that the most crowded commercial areas function better when pedestrians have the freedom to use the whole street, and motor vehicles are only allowed for essential deliveries. In this Streetopia preview, Clarence Eckerson looks at car-free streets in cities like Montreal and Buenos Aires to show how much catching up NYC has to do.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

X-Citement: Union Boss and Streetsblog Columnist Fight Congestion Pricing War in Public

Get some popcorn and watch Charles Komanoff and union boss John Samuelsen battle on Twitter.

October 4, 2024

Seniors to City: Fix Canal Street Now!

A new series of audits on Canal Street with older New Yorkers will show again the need for change.

October 4, 2024

Friday Video: Car and Truck Drivers are the Cause of Virtually All Road Violence

A video to remind the political elite that there's a problem out there — and it ain't on two wheels.

Will Indicted Mayor Adams’s Bid to Eliminate Parking Mandates Survive Council Review?

As the City Council review proccess begins, experts say it is crucial to keep getting rid of parking mandates in the City of Yes.

October 3, 2024
See all posts