[Spotted at Astor Place]
As the Times notes today:
This Saturday will feature the first of three Summer Streets events this month, when Lafayette Street downtown and a long stretch of Park Avenue will be closed to traffic and open instead to bikers, in-line skaters, walkers and wanderers.
And here is the official map from the City about all this:
Previously on EV Grieve:
Takin' it to the streets like the Doobie Brothers
Summer loving had me a blast, Summer loving happened so fast
No more corny Summer Streets headlines until next summer, probably
Take it easy there Bono.
ReplyDeleteTry to go early for this one. When I did this a couple of years ago, the best part was going through the Helmsley Building and then north on Park Avenue and then going through it again going south, a nice car free bike ride experience through Mid-Town at its finest. I believe that going through the tunnel at 32nd street is something new here? If that section is truly open for bike riding, then that will be the number one cool factor of the ride. Did the tunnel many years ago while coming back from a Central Park ride with some friends of mine. The tunnel was officially closed; we did it anyway, riding in almost total darkness. Of course, we were stoned. Woo!
ReplyDelete@ anon 11:59
ReplyDeleteha!
I'm all for recreation but to be honest EV this whole thing is a deviant ploy to garner interest in the concept of a car free Manhattan.
ReplyDeleteSlowly, this city is turning into a huge park. Goods and services are being interrupted. Private Sector becomes leaner while the Public Sector becomes fatter. No good folks! The city has no money and Albany is laughing to the pension bank. Soon, the city trolls will want us all to become dependent and make it mandatory to ride blue bikes or hop on that MTA subway or bus service (fare increase coming soon).
I can't wait! It's such a happy occasion, with families and kids celebrating a greater freedom to move around safely. Woooooooooooo! (That was a sober Woooo!)
ReplyDeletelove this idea. while spending a few days in Tokyo recently, where there are still plenty of cars and plenty of traffic, i asked my wife why walking around seemed so much more peaceful there than in NYC. then we realised how little on-street parking there is. you never notice the difference in the feel of a city space when you take away the miles of parked cars. Tokyo is bigger and just as bustling as NYC, but the fact that cars, parked or moving, arent taking up all the available street space is one aspect of the city's high score for livability, at least in my book.
ReplyDeleteThe first few years of this event were great, with wide open streets all the way up to Central Park, but last year it was way too crowded due to all the CtiBikes, They either need to extend the hours or close down a few more avenues to the traffic, but the forecast for rain and thunderstorms tomorrow will probably keep most of the crowds away this time.
ReplyDelete@ 12:13 PM
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome!
What if you have a car in a parking garage that fronts onto the street that's shut down?
ReplyDeleteYou're screwed. You have no access to your car. Only 1% types can afford rent and a car and can pay to have it garaged. So you have to wait until the nypd decides you can have access to your car. Isn't that one of the reasons to live here- not needing to drive everywhere? Maybe your butler can acquire you a vehicle so you don't have to lower yourself to using a taxi or walking or god forbid taking the subway. I know that's for the little people. Sorry about your vehicle access.
ReplyDeleteCount me in with the it-was-cool-way-back-when crowd. Now it's only good if you enjoy walking slowly. Too congested to offer any of the purported feeling of cruising the streets with freedom. Better off riding up the westside highway path.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear from recent participants how this ride is now overcrowded. Again, may I suggest, hit it just after it opens. If I go up to Central Park to do some loops on a week-end, I basically ride at dawn to avoid the crowds which by 9.30 AM, are clogging up the Park as well. Damn you Citi Bike, damn you all to hell!
ReplyDeleteLol 4:28... Love the zero to bat shit insane in zero point 1%!!! Don't forget lots or people just park there... AKA me, who drives cargo vans for work and I use the garage along Lafayette as it is one my insurance company is fine with... So again... What happens?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you're screwed- unless you move the van early so you have access later. Does that cause insurance issues? Blame Bloomberg
ReplyDeleteThere is plenty advance notice fot garaged cars along the route. It sucks that people might have to pay extra out of pocket to garage a vehicle elsewhere or park it on the street, but you lnow its happening.
ReplyDelete8:09 a pa is going to be sitting in a van for a few hours.... Thanks NYC for making this city a circle jerk!!!
ReplyDeleteHad a fantastic time today! Came out while it was still raining and enjoyed all the space, although there were quite a few people out even then! (Mostly runners). Later, as it stopped raining around 9am, the street gradually filled up. Can't wait for next week!
ReplyDelete