Car-Free Streets

The first 2010 installment of Summer Streets is tomorrow, and I can't think of a better way to get in the mood than to check in on this inspiring grassroots victory for livable streets in New York City.

In Copenhagen, you never have to travel very far to see a beautiful public space or car-free street packed with people soaking up the day. In fact, since the early 1960s, 18 parking lots in the downtown area have been converted into public spaces for playing, meeting, and generally just doing things that human beings enjoy doing. If you're hungry, there are over 7,500 cafe seats in the city.

Here we are, halfway through July, which means Summer Streets are coming around again. NYCDOT announced today that the city's flagship car-free event will be happening on three Saturdays in August -- the 7th, 14th, and 21st.

On Sunday, June 27, Downtown Oakland opened two miles of its streets for traffic-free fun and activities -- zumba dancing, circus arts, BMX bike competitions and performances from local musicians. Walk Oakland Bike Oakland (WOBO) partnered with the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, Oaklandish, Oakland YMCA, Cycles of Change, and other civic organizations to create the East Bay's first car-free event in the Ciclovía mold. Preparations are in the works for another Oaklavia in the coming months.

Every summer, New Yorkers face a dire shortage of tube socks. Or so you'd assume if you walked through the city's 300-odd street fairs. Though some fairs are cherished local institutions, the majority are corporate cookie-cutter affairs. That's a real wasted opportunity in a city so starved for public space. 

The 2010 schedule for NYCDOT's Weekend Walks is up, and there are 18 car-free streets to check out this summer. While some merchants managed to shrink one of the original neighborhood car-free events -- Williamsburg Walks -- down to one weekend, elsewhere local business groups are taking the lead to create temporary spaces for people to enjoy their neighborhoods free from traffic. Overall it's a big expansion compared to last year's 13 sites.

Nearly 200 Jackson Heights residents marched on their community board last Thursday night to support the expansion of car-free public space in their neighborhood. That feat of organizing helped win the approval of Queens Community Board 3 for a summer-long 78th Street Play Street, reversing the stance of the board's transportation committee.

Looks like we're headed for a sunny weekend as NYC's slate of summer car-free street events gets going. NYCDOT hasn't updated their "Weekend Walks" site yet to show when and where all the neighborhood-scale street parties will be happening. But one of the first of 2010 is coming to Amsterdam Avenue from 106th Street to 110th Street this Sunday. Head over between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. for "Manhattan Valley Family Days" -- mural drawing, bike lessons for kids, live music, and lots of other stuff is on tap.

Safer street conditions and more space for pedestrians and cyclists could soon be coming to Union Square under a plan to be unveiled by DOT today.