Brooklyn residents will have one less thing to worry about around Prospect Park with a new test that the city is doing by keeping cars out of the park for the rest of the summer. Mayor DeBlasio made the announcement that no cars will be allowed to cut through the park, starting next week through Labor Day.
In a statement, the mayor said “A safer and quieter park improves the safety and enjoyment for thousands of park users.” The idea is to allow access to even more Brooklyn residents (and let’s be honest, the Manhattanites who go there to get away from Central Park).
The idea of a car ban isn’t new; cars have been banned from the West Drive that runs through Prospect Park since 2 years ago. There’s also the yearly ban of cars on Park Avenue in Manhattan on select Sundays, to make way for runners, bikers, yoga enthusiasts and more.
DeBlasio promises this will have a very minimal impact on traffic in the area; only 300 cars drive through the area during peak morning rush hour every day, while over 1,000 people come through the park by foot or bike.
If you’ve been thinking about checking out Prospect Park for the first time, or haven’t been in awhile, this summer will definitely be the time to go and take advantage of all that space. Twirl in circles in the street if you want to! Just watch out for bikes.