One Fun Thing: Closing City Streets To Cars On Sunday

Park Avenue closes for New York City’s Annual Summer Streets Program

Every week on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. the city of Bogata, Columbia does the unthinkable — closes many of its main streets to cars.  They call it Ciclovía, or Bicycle Way, the National Geographic reports, and the people of Bogata just love it.  It gives everyone in the “car-choked, noise-filled, stressed-out city” a chance to enjoy the fresh air and spread out without worrying about the 1,600,000 private cars, 50,000 taxis, nine thousand buses, and half-million motorcycles getting in their way.  All modes of non-motorized vehicles are welcome —bicycles, roller skates, scooters, wheelchairs, skateboards.  New York City does a similar thing each summer — and in 2018, 300,000 people took advantage of it.  NYC is already planning for “Summer Streets” for the first three Sundays this August when nearly 7 miles of New York City streets will be closed for events and non-motorized vehicles.  The city’s Department of Transportation is looking for proposals of unique, family-friendly events and activities.  If you live in New York, you have until May 3 to submit a proposal. And we know there are other cities that do the same thing so send us an email and tell us about your town’s recreational street closings!

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