Car-Free Day Returns To New York City Streets For Third Year

NEW YORK, NY — City officials announced Tuesday that Car Free Day will return to New York for a third straight year. The event — in which New Yorkers are encouraged to ditch their cars in favor of public transportation, walking or biking — will close at least 30 blocks of city streets to motor vehicle traffic on Saturday, April 21.

The main stretch of Car Free Day street closures will return to Broadway in lower and Midtown Manhattan, city officials announced. Broadway will be shut down from Times Square (42nd Street) all the way down to Union Square (14th Street), city officials announced.

"As we work towards a future with lower emissions and improved public transportation, it becomes increasingly clear that reducing the number of cars on our streets is one of the most important factors in this battle," Council Speaker Corey Johnson said Tuesday. "For one day each year, we encourage all New Yorkers to go car-free and utilize other methods of transportation."

Last year's Car Free Day also included traffic shutdowns in five additional sections of Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. This year's additional closures were not revealed Tuesday.

Five rest stops will be situated along the Broadway route at Times Square, Herald Square (34th Street), the Garment District (39th Street), Flatiron (23rd Street) and Union Square, city officials said. These stops will be home to various programs that promote advocacy and education for the issues of climate change and sustainability.

The city Department of Transportation will wold a Request for Proposals for programming submissions, Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said Tuesday. Nonprofits, performers and educators can submit programming proposals before a March 16 deadline.

"Come April 21st, pedestrians and cyclists will enjoy fun programming keeping with the environmentally-minded spirit of Earth Day," Trottenberg said Tuesday. "The Request for Proposals that DOT is issuing today calls on non-profit organizations, artists, and performers to submit their programming ideas for the five rest stops along Broadway - and so we look forward to a great and exciting day."

Photo courtesy New York City Department of Transportation