West Drive will be completely car-free 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Currently, cars are allowed on West Drive on weekdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (except on weekday holidays). West Drive runs southbound from Grand Army Plaza to Park Circle.
Cars will continue to be allowed on East Drive on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. (except on weekday holidays). East Drive runs northbound from Park Circle to Grand Army Plaza.
The aim is to make the park "healthier, safer and more accessible."
Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, Department of Transportation, pointed out that
"in Prospect Park, as the mayor has said, the traffic volumes on the West Drive have become only about 200 cars an hour, which we think the local street network can absorb very easily."
She added that
"the volumes of cars that are going on the East Drive are twice as high as they are on the West Drive. And there’s also the same considerations of those cars on the local streets, a lot of bus traffic, a lot of pedestrians. So, as we now have permanently no cars on the West Drive, that will presumably start to change commuting patterns, and we’ll monitor and we’ll see."
See the press release from the Office of the Mayor as well as a transcript of his announcement.
The mayor also announced that "on Monday, June 29th, the entire loop drive north of 72nd Street in Central Park will be car-free."