It was on last year's Earth Day that Mayor Bloomberg unveiled his far-reaching plans to make New York City more sustainable, with congestion pricing as one of the centerpieces. For some reason, making Central and Prospect Parks car-free did not make the list of 127 announced initiatives. With congestion pricing off the table for now thanks to some profiles in fecklessness in Albany, the Bloomberg administration has more reason than ever to remedy that oversight.

The year 2007 may prove to be one of the most important years in the storied history of New York City's development. In a future timeline of urban advances, it might be printed in as big a font and as bold a type as 1811--when the grid system was adopted--or 1904--when the I.R.T. subway opened. The text adjacent to 2007 could say something like "the start of livable streets," or "the bike boom begins," or "congestion pricing kicks off." It may turn out that all of those descriptions may suit 2007. The real question is, in hindsight, will they?

The latest round in the debate over the future of the four-acre, former Con Ed site on mid-town Manhattan's East River shore took place today. Civic leaders and local legislators held a press conference to announce the launch of a campaign to ensure that development provides public access to the waterfront and includes a new park. Hopes are that the final project will reflect the spirit if not the details of the designs that came out of the three-day charrette that took place last June.

hMembers of Transportation Alternatives will join Councilmember David Yassky and other members of the Prospect Park City Council Delegation to toast the beginning of Car-Free "Summer Hours" in Prospect Park on Tuesday, January 21 at 1:30 pm at the Grand Army Plaza Entrance of Prospect Park. The Prospect Park City Council Delegation consists of Councilmembers Bill DeBlasio, David Yassky, James Davis, Yvette Clarke and Sara Gonzalez.

Radar study: 90% of motorists in Park speed. 23% by 10mph or more. [view study results]

Wednesday, July 2, 7am to 8am

66th Street and Park Drive West, Just South of Tavern on the Green.

t face="verdana,arial,helvetica" size="3">The Speedways of Central Park and Prospect Park
Study shows that 90% of loop drive motorists are speeding

Health and environmental groups raise call for car-free loop drives

This holiday season, users of Central and Prospect Parks got an unexpected and welcome gift after years of finding coal (and exhaust) in their stockings. Interestingly, the sources of that exhaust didn't seem to complain (or perhaps even notice) that things had changed.

All of New York City's parks should be traffic-free spaces for residents and visitors to safely recreate. To this end, we commend Councilmembers Gale Brewer and John Liu, the primary sponsors of bill Intro 276, which calls for car-free summers in Central Park and car-free summer afternoons in Prospect Park.

In an age of obesity, asthma, diabetes and heart disease, a policy decision that encourages healthy, safe and active lifestyles is a sound one.