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The DOT is going to close a long stretch of a Manhattan street on Saturday's this August. Where else would you like to see cars blocked? We'll continue our suggestions for your Summer Street closings in this thread, and add your ideas to our map. Comment below!
One tube of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel
-connect Red Hook to the West Side Greenway
The Sheridan Expy. in the Bronx is, indeed, a joke that serves no purpose.
There are advantages to this road. going south on the BX river pkwy you can avoid the complicated merge to the Cx bx by using the Sheridan Xway. It is very conveient way going n on sheridan to get to mid bx other wise much slower when coming from manhattan. You may get more housing but you also waste the energy that was used in constructing the xway and all the rubble that goes to land fills
It's an awful idea to close traffic in Manhattan- the buses, taxi cabs, ambulances, fire trucks get blocked - they get gridlocked! When there are street fairs, Even from the 16th floor, the honking is deafening. The drivers sweat bullets and sit in endless traffic. Please do not fool yourself that this is a quality of life idea. Besides the noise of honking and sirens, it is dangerous to the city to block emergency vehicles in an already congested environment.
Pelham Pkwy Bet White Plains Rd out to City Island. Service Rds could still be used for buses.
Mosholu Pkwy entire length. Also has service rds.
Henry Hudson Pkwy Kappock st to Bway exit.
Broadway from 242 (end of #1 Line) to Yonkers line.
These rds are relatively flat for bike riding.
Suggestion: In GREENPOINT, Brooklyn, close Manhattan Avenue starting at Greenpoint Avenue to connect to Pulaski Bridge into Vernon Blvd in LIC, Queens. This would link both boroughs and would provide a beautiful view of Manhattan's skyline...
University Place between Union Square and Washington Square, in effect extending both parks.
A larger version, Broadway from Madison Square to Union Square.
Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.
Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights from the promenade to Court Street
Bay Street in Red Hook near the ball fields and pool.
it's endless !
I am a regular user of the Sheridan. The MTA Express bus serving the Morris Park neighborhood takes the Sheridan. While it clear is a flawed highway, it should not be closed. It enables a quicker commute for some of us who already have a one hour commute each way. I agree the ramps at the northern end are poorly designed and should be redone. If the community along the Sheridan is feeling disconnected, there may be other ways to fix that - with more bridges, etc..
It is worth noting that the eastern side of Sheridan is a narrow strip of land bordered by the Bronx river on the other side. Some of that land is fenced off and marked "contaminated" and another part has recently been redone as a park.
Speaking on behalf of the working people of the Bronx,
Forget about creating more affordable housing, there are plenty empty buildings that need to be fixed. The Sheridan should be turned into a beautiful park where Bronx children can play and enjoy their childhood. Have you ever visited the South Bronx? Where are the parks?
I'm a private pilot, and since the closing of Flushing airport to small plane traffic, there is no convenient airport in the NYC area.
Since the Sheridan is about 7,000 feet long, it would make a great runway. You would just have to fly below the traffic to LaGuardia. What a convenience. Great for kids and schools in the neighborhood because it could be linked with education to provide a great resource.
Great show.
Paul Stein
Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.
3 locations in the Bronx:
1. The Grand Concourse (I agree with Adam from Riverdale) any section would be good
2. Pelham Parkway from White Plains Rd. to Stillwell Ave.
3. The Moshulu Parkway from the Botanical Garden to about Bainbridge Ave.
#2 & #3 have great areas of grass in the middle of the roads that would definitely lend those roads to closure
Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg up to McCarren Park
How about Beard Street between Van Brunt and Columbia Street.
Bedford Avenue from Grand Street through McCarren Park to Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn.
http://www.carfreebedford.com/bedfordave.html
close Bedford Ave from Fulton St into Williamsurg and encourage bike and foot traffic from Bed Stuy to W'burg north and south. There are lots of bike riders in both neighborhoods and not enough good bike trails.
I have not heard you mention that the Bronx River Parkway in Westchester has in the past been closed several Sunday mornings in October for recreation and enjoyment.
This is a prime example of giving pedestrians and bikers exclusive use of a throughway. Moreover, the Parkway is shut down to cars, even though there is a pedestrian bikeway on the side of the Parkway.
As to additional areas that could be open for recreation. I would suggest Skillman Avenue from Roosevelt to 39th Street, and Woodside Avenue from Roosevelt to Broadway in Queens.
It would be great to close the loading lanes under the N Train that runs down 31st St. from Ditmars to Queensboro Bridge. They should put a permanent buffered bike lane there anyway, all in all there are 6 lanes worth of pavement. One parking/loading lane could very easily be sacrificed to have a bike lane from Ditmars to Queensboro Bridge. Have a good day, Brian!
Bedford Ave – Brooklyn's longest street: McCarren Park to Sheepshead Bay.
Access to and one lane of the Verrazano Bridge – 5 borough access.
Also... well... EVERY STREET IN THE CITY! (or at least more bike lanes, esp. in Queens & the Bronx).
Bedford Avenue at least from Grand Street through McCarren Park to Manhattan Avenue.
I also love the idea of University Place between Union Square and Washington Square Park.
37th avenue, between 75th and 85th, in Queens, pedestrians only on the summer weekends would be fantastic.
How about closing Bleeker St from Hudson St to Carmine St/6th Ave or Laquardia Pl.? Many small businesses on both sides of the streets and the sidewalks are woefully narrow...
Mosholu Parkway but extended to the East from the Botanical Gardens to Bronx Park East & Allerton Ave.
In addition, if you head south from Allerton Ave & Bronx Park East, you can hook up with Pelham Parkway going East to City Island and Orchard Beach.
Close streets on a Saturday. That's fresh. I guess I've been hearing the news wrong. I was under the impression that Mayor Bloomberg was committed to decreasing congestion. My Bad! Has anyone checked to see if there is any street fairs also going on those days. It's a heck of a lot of fun when there's the 40 mile bike ride and the FDR is shut down AS WELL AS 2nd Avenue because of a street fair. Isn't there a park or the entire west side along the Hudson to endulge in Yoga? Does it have to be a main artery right down the middle of Manhattan? YIKES!!!
How about Steinway st between Broadway & 30TH Ave.Allow only pedestrian, Bus & bike.
Riverside Drive (which has multiple lanes) from 152nd Street up to 165th Street. Really, the whole area from 152nd St. to 165th St. west of Fort Washington and Broadway could be closed off (with the possible exception of the 158th St. underpass to the Henry Hudson) and it would be a really pleasant area to walk around.
Hylan boulevard between Nelso Ave., and Steuben St.
Those Hummer-lovers can hop on the expressway ...
I wonderful thing for Manhattan would be a redesign of Boradway. It has the opportunity to be a great avenue. Make Broadway accessible only to buses from 110-th street to Union Square. Create a bike path in each direction. Expand the side walks.
This could be an even more beautiful avenue.
Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn, between the Williamsburg Bridge and McCarran Park.
Close Riverside Drive from 72nd Street up to 158th. It is a very popular bike route on the weekends--even with the traffic.
Close all of Northern Blvd from Shea Stadium to the Queensboro Bridge.
Queens Blvd from LIC to woodside
How about Broadway from Columbus Cir. to the Battery? Other cities open their main commercial and cultural corridor to the people - and this would link Central Park, Times Sq., Madison Sq. Park, Union Sq. Park and Battery Park.
Or the overwhelmingly-crowded SoHo - keep vehicles out of the box within Houston St., Broadway, Canal, and W. Broadway (or Sixth Ave.)!
1 lane of the holland tunnel from the nyc waterfront to the nj waterfront
East 60th Street from 1st Ave to 5th Ave. It would be great if there were a car free east to west passage from the 59th Street bridge to Central Park!
They should close a few north/south streets in SoHo--Greene, Wooster, Mercer--between Houston and Broome.
Closing off st marks and 8th street btw Astor place and Ave would be a very nice addition to an a congested area where street traffic is predominant.
Closing Broadway from tip to tip of Manhattan would be great. Also add to that the major cross streets like Canal, Houston, 14th St, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 59th, and up and up. Heck, why not close all of Manhattan to cars, make it Busses and Taxis only on some streets and humans and bikes on others.
Closing a route from Flatbush to the Brooklyn Bridge to the Hudson River Greenway would be positively dreamy!
as of 7-23-08 the map does not have the suggestion in comment 117 for closing Steinway St. and Woodside Avenue in Queens
Metropolitan Ave from Williamsburg to Kew Gardens. A great road to see Queens and Brooklyn and get some exercise.
Close one lane of Verrazano Bridge so that we can experience it via biking or walking. I know for the 5 borough bike ride they close a lane of the Verrazano but it would be great for the many people on the weekends who spend time on shore parkway and walk along the water near Ceaser's Bay Bizarre.
Flatbush Ave, from Grand Army Plaza to Tillary Street.
I would like to see Park Avenue closed up to 96th Street. I also think that Park Avenue, because there are no buses and commercial traffic on it, would be ideal for a permanent bike lane going N and S by eliminating the parking spaces. I would then be comfortable using my bike as transportation!
Downtown White Plains offers a dense, well paved area that would be perfect as a pedestrian shopping street, such as they have in European cities. The area near City Center, Church Street and the Main/Mamaroneck Fountain would be a perfect area to try a car-free experiment.
Surburban drivers will likely freak out at this suggestion, given that they seem to think they own the roads and, therefore, dominate our public spaces. But I think it's high time that we let people experience, at least for a few days each summer, how lovely it is to use a densly populated area for something other than driving through.
Broadway in White Plains is another good candidate. There is a green park which extends for a good portion of this street but it is hard to enjoy it with the traffic racing by.
It is imperative, at least in my opinion, that any car-free offerings be pet friendly. White Plains does not permit dogs to do anything other than transverse its public parks - you officially cannot sit on a blanket in a park with your dog on a Sunday afternoon without worry of being asked to leave by city officials. Let's include dogs who like to lie down on grass on a hot summer day in our leisure planning!
Shore, Blvd runs directly in front of Astoria Park.
Like Marriane of Staten Island i would like to free the streets of my borough of the Hummers and escalades and close all of Bay street and Richmond terrace. It is the only moderately flat area to ride a bike, but it is normally trafficked by speeding and reckless SUV's. Staten Island has the most reckless and feckless drivers of the 5 boroughs. Vito Fosella did not go through that red light in Virginia because he was drunk, he did it because he is from Staten Island.
I second the notion of closing the Sheridan. Also, I would like to suggest Sagg Main St/Sagg Rd in Bridgehampton.
Obviously Red Hook. Haven't been there for a few weeks -- but as I recall it is a sleepy, lovely community ripe for pedestrians and bicyclists to come together in their historied pathways!
First:
CLOSE STREETS ON SUNDAYS (not Sat.) - I'm an Observant Jew, and cannot skate on the Jewish Sabbath.
Second:
Streets to close:
1. Conney Island Ave South of Prospect Park.
2. Flatbush Ave, from Prospect Park to Manhattan bridge.
3. Manhattan bridge (inbound or outbound lane), or a path to the Brooklyn bridge.
Why not close streets on SUNDAYS ?!
I'm Jewish, observing the Sabbath, so only SUNDAYS will do me any good.
Streets to close on SUNDAYS:
- Conney Island Ave south of the park
- Flatbush Ave. Park to the bridge
I agree with comments # 105 and #145. The weekend is the only time to get around Manhattan with a decent amount of efficiency with no commercial traffic. The street closings that already occur are very disruptive and the street fairs have become repetitive and boring.
how about one day a year they close all water crossings into Manhattan?
Prospect Avenue in Sea Cliff from Shore Road to Albin Street.
This narrow residential street was once host to a multitude of weekend cyclists and pedestrians. However with unchecked area "auto dependent" development this once pleasant street is now a hazard to resident's, cyclists and pedestrians, as cut through speeding traffic dominates the street(without sidewalks) 24/7.
The Prospect/Albin Traffic Calming Initiative has been hard at work in correcting this situation, a "Summer Street" would be a meaningful component to our efforts!
We all miss, and wish to welcome back the cycling clubs that until not long ago brightened our neighborhood Saturday and Sunday mornings!
Pamela Tamaddon
Coordinator
Prospect.Albin@verizon.net
Let's do it right! Every Sunday from 9 - 5pm open up the following streets for pedestrians, bicyclists, children, free exercise and dance classes, and shopping (since walkers buy more than drivers): Broadway from the Southern to the Northern tip of Manhattan, and 42nd Street, 96th Street and 125th Street all from East to West.
Sound like too much? Go to www.streetfilms.org, and watch the video on Bogota's Ciclovia. If we do this right, it will be good for business, good for our health, and a ray of sunshine for the city's spirit.
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