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

A Round and a Roundy: How Mayor de Blasio Sees Open Streets

Cartoon: Bill Roundy

Editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy
Editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy
Editorial cartoon of Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.

It was all going so well: New York City's open-streets program began on Saturday with a few miles of car-free streets, and people (especially kids) seemed to love it.

Our editorial cartoonist, Bill Roundy, loved it, too (he lives south of Prospect Park, where Parkside Avenue was blissfully without the noisome presence of automobiles, or police to enforce it, between Park Circle and Ocean Avenue). But he also heard a chill wind — in the form of Mayor de Blasio — blowing across his springtime idyll:

"I am still a fundamentally a believer in enforcement in all things," the mayor told Streetsblog when asked about how easy it would be to expand the open streets program if he didn't overpolice it. "We had a good first day with a limited sample size. I don’t think anyone yet can say that we know exactly what it’s going to take to enforce these things going forward."

Roundy sees where this is headed: This mayor sees a roadway without motorcars on it and he panics that some Queens Council Member will write him a nasty letter. Roundy's onto you, Mr. Mayor. Your bias is showing.

Bill Roundy is a national treasure. His cartoons are archived here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

City Delays Road Diet Under BQE Despite Hyping Its ‘Reconnect Communities’ Effort

Officials touted new concepts to improve the streetscape around the BQE — but was wavering on plans to do just that on Third Avenue in Sunset Park, Streetsblog has learned.

October 9, 2024

A Father Speaks: Here’s Why The Speed Limit Must Be 20 MPH Everywhere

At an event on Wednesday, no one was more eloquent than the spotlight-avoiding father of the boy for whom Sammy's Law is named.

October 9, 2024

Council Bill Would Shift Taxi Driver Crash Costs onto Victims: Experts

Lower insurance for cabbies could mean higher costs for crash victims.

October 9, 2024

Wednesday Headlines: What is ‘News’ Edition

We'd much rather be writing about the Mets than counterpunching the DOT for barring us from a briefing. But that's where we are. Plus other news.

October 9, 2024

Gale Brewer Flips on E-Bike Registration Due To ‘Nasty’ Pressure

The former Manhattan borough president says she supports banning e-bikes from parks and a state campaign to require licensing.

October 8, 2024
See all posts