Bedford will be closed to cars on Saturdays (including during Northside) ++ other NYC pedestrian walkway news
Car Free Times Square (BF 09)
In addition to the car free Times Square, which started Memorial Day weekend and will run at least till the end of the year (see article below), New Yorkers and tourists will get more chances to enjoy pedestrianized city streets.
One of those comes in August…
NYC DOT and our partners are proud to present Summer Streets. We will temporarily close Park Avenue and connecting streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park to motor vehicles and open it up to people on three consecutive TBA Saturdays in August.
Check out the Summer Streets route below.
Then in Brooklyn…
The L Magazine and Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG) have partnered this year to organize the 2009 Williamsburg Walks. We invite North Brooklyn residents, visitors and merchants to celebrate the community on a pedestrian Bedford Avenue: Williamsburg’s lively main drag will be closed to cars between North 4th and North 9th Streets every Saturday from June 6th to July 11th from noon to sunset.
The second week of Williamsburg Walks on Saturday, June 13th will coincide with the Northside Festival. That afternoon, the shows happening a few blocks away include O’Death at the Music Hall of Williamsburg and, a few doors down at Public Assembly, Aaron Behrens (of Ghostland Observatory), Motel Motel, Henry Wolfe; Back room: Mia Riddle, Geoff Ereth and jacksonknife.
More info on the traffic free areas below…
Summer Streets
Summer Streets will take place for three consecutive Saturdays in August from 7:00 am – 1:00 pm. The route will connect the Brooklyn Bridge with Central Park and there will be recommended connections to the Hudson River Greenway, allowing participants to plan a route as long or short as they wish.
This event takes a valuable public space – our City’s streets – and opens them up to people to play, walk, bike, and breathe. Summer Streets provides more space for healthy recreation and is a part of NYC’s greening initiative by encouraging New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation.
Modeled on other events from around the world including Bogotá, Colombia’s Ciclovia, Paris, France’s Paris Plage, and even New York’s own Museum Mile, this event will be part bike tour, part block party, a great time for exercise, people watching, and just enjoying summer mornings.
This event is for people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets respectfully. [NYC]
Area non-profits and businesses will be organizing events and activities – acoustic music, urban gardening, children’s classes, performances, and many more – and the June 13th date coincides with The L’s Northside Music and Arts Festival, which will bring even more public programming to the neighborhood.
This year, we’re hoping to make the event even more enjoyable for the neighborhood–feedback was collected during the successful 2008 season that has informed many of this year’s improvements. We invite you to give your opinion and share your concerns to make this year a success.
Williamsburg Walks is also a great opportunity to support the community. Click here to learn about volunteering this summer.
If you or your organization would like to contribute to Williamsburg Walks (organize activities, donate street furniture, etc.), please email [email protected] with your suggestions.
