Prospect Park Goes Completely Car-Free by Arthur Mallet
Jan 05, 2018 arthur mallet,bike lanes,brooklyn,brooklyn news,dot,east drive,no cars,prospect park,prospect park drive,traffic,transportation alternatives,west drive
The Department of Transportation has kicked off 2018 with a monumental change to Brooklyn’s backyard, Prospect Park. From now on the Park will be completely car free, Curbed reports. DOT commissioner Polly Trottenberg announced the change, stating “cyclists, joggers and pedestrians, young and old, will be able to rejoice year-round in a safer and quieter park”.
Cars have used the park since the dawn of the automobile, when it would have been a bucolic setting for a leisurely drive. In recent years, it has functioned more as a shortcut that avoids otherwise circuitous routes. The activist group Transportation Alternatives has advocated for the elimination of cars in the park for many years. Two years ago cars were banned on the West Drive, but the East Drive has been open during peak rush hours. The change is sure to displease drivers who are used to this shortcut, but for the rest of us it is a welcome improvement.