Summer Streets NYC
The New York City Department of Transportation, along with other City agencies and the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, held its first (and hopefully not the last) Summer Streets event by opening 7 miles of car-free streets in NYC for three consecutive Saturdays, August 9th, 16th, and 23rd.
Reminiscent of Bogota's Ciclovia and Paris's Plage, this large-scale event took NYC by storm as pedestrians, dog walkers, runners, bicyclists, skaters and bladers all zoomed through the streets from 7AM to 1 PM - with 72nd Street down to the Brooklyn Bridge via Park Avenue as the specific route.
I was only able to participate on the last day, but the turnout was breathtaking.
There was such a palpable wave of positive energy, and the sunny weather certainly helped! I was able to take a Crunch class on the street, collect information about biking in the city, and rollerblade by borrowing a pair from Paragon (wearing a helmet of course).
From the articles I've read about this transformational event, the general consensus was that it succeeded beyond expectations.
My only critique is that the lanes could've been organized better, i.
e.
according to activity (cycling vs.
running).
It was challenging and a little scary to cross the street.
I had to make sure that I wasn't in anyone's way, or else there'd be a strong possibility of getting run over by all the non-walking pedestrians.
While there were some drawbacks, there was a general courtesy from everybody and many made the most of Summer Streets.
As the NYC.
gov website states, this event was "part bike tour, part block party, a great time for exercise, people watching, and just enjoying summer mornings, [for] people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets respectfully.
" Greening initiatives such as this will hopefully continue for years to come, encouraging New Yorkers to use more sustainable, creative forms of transportation in promoting a healthier New York City.
Reminiscent of Bogota's Ciclovia and Paris's Plage, this large-scale event took NYC by storm as pedestrians, dog walkers, runners, bicyclists, skaters and bladers all zoomed through the streets from 7AM to 1 PM - with 72nd Street down to the Brooklyn Bridge via Park Avenue as the specific route.
I was only able to participate on the last day, but the turnout was breathtaking.
There was such a palpable wave of positive energy, and the sunny weather certainly helped! I was able to take a Crunch class on the street, collect information about biking in the city, and rollerblade by borrowing a pair from Paragon (wearing a helmet of course).
From the articles I've read about this transformational event, the general consensus was that it succeeded beyond expectations.
My only critique is that the lanes could've been organized better, i.
e.
according to activity (cycling vs.
running).
It was challenging and a little scary to cross the street.
I had to make sure that I wasn't in anyone's way, or else there'd be a strong possibility of getting run over by all the non-walking pedestrians.
While there were some drawbacks, there was a general courtesy from everybody and many made the most of Summer Streets.
As the NYC.
gov website states, this event was "part bike tour, part block party, a great time for exercise, people watching, and just enjoying summer mornings, [for] people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets respectfully.
" Greening initiatives such as this will hopefully continue for years to come, encouraging New Yorkers to use more sustainable, creative forms of transportation in promoting a healthier New York City.
Source...