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

Want a Car-Free Prospect Park All Year Round? Sign Here.

DOT crews at Prospect Park last week informing drivers of the 24/7 car-free schedule this summer. Photo: Flickr/DOT

On Monday, DOT's two-month test run of a car-free Prospect Park took effect. For the first time, people walking, biking, and running on the park loop can go weeks without getting caught off guard by private car traffic.

DOT says it will evaluate traffic and safety impacts of the car-free trial and make a decision about whether to make it permanent. That could mean traffic will be back on the east side of the loop during the morning weekday rush starting on September 11. But as park users told NY1, the sudden presence of car traffic on weekday mornings made what should be an escape from the noise and threat of traffic a more stressful experience.

Now that the traffic is gone, it's hard to imagine letting motor vehicles back in. As car-free park hours have gradually expanded over the years, the city has never reversed course. Every time, the feared carmageddon on surrounding streets never materialized.

If you want to make sure the park loop doesn't go back to being a rush-hour traffic shortcut, you can sign this Transportation Alternatives petition launched by Michael Drinkard, which calls on Mayor de Blasio to make Prospect Park car-free for good.

The letter notes that this month marks the twentieth anniversary of the death of Rachel Fruchter, who was struck and killed by a van driver while biking in Prospect Park, and that making the park permanently car-free would be a fitting memorial.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Preventable’: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Two on Third Av. Corridor Eric Adams Refuses to Make Safer

A motorist struck and killed two men on a strip where Mayor Adams recently shelved a safety redesign amid a backlash from local business interests.

July 11, 2025

Why No BRT For NYC? Two New Reports Tackle Why Your Bus Service Sucks

Years of bus priority projects barely made a dent in speeds because Big Apple leaders won't install real bus rapid transit, two recent reports argue.

July 11, 2025

Citi Bike Riders Are Pissed About Eric Adams’s 15 MPH Speed Limit

Citi Bike's new 15 mph max speed limit is a bad deal for riders and a potential threat to safety, riders said.

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: Cyclists, Check Out Your Next City

Streetfilms' Clarence Eckerson visited London earlier this summer to check in on the Big Smoke's cycling revolution.

July 11, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Just the News Edition

We've got one more workday before we can hit the beach. Plus the news.

July 11, 2025

Council To Close Instacart Loophole, Pass Delivery Industry Regulation Bills

The City Council will vote on Monday to close the "Instacart loophole" and force all app companies to pay workers a minimum wage.

July 10, 2025
See all posts