For the third year in a row, the NYC Dept. of Transit will be presenting the Summer Streets program this month, shutting down automobile traffic on Park Ave. from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park in order to let people walk, run and ride their bikes.
Summer Streets will take place on three consecutive Saturdays this month (August 7th, 14th, and 21st) from 7am to 1pm. Millions of people will participate – don’t miss out on the fun!
I was grateful for summer streets last year while I was training for the NYC Marathon. Running those distances was so much more fun without having to inhale car emissions, plus the energy of my fellow New Yorkers running and riding along side made those 18 and 20 mile training runs go (relatively) quickly.
If you’re looking to do a long bike ride or run, take advantage of Central Park; where the Summer Streets path ends, you can still do several additional miles in the park (which you can do anytime of year!). At the other end of Summer Streets is the Brooklyn Bridge, which will also give you a few extra miles to run or bike.
Whether you live in the city or are just visiting NYC, it’s a rare treat to get to run in the streets without any cars! Summer Streets is a wonderful, free activity that can be enjoyed with friends and family or in solitude. I’m hoping to participate more than once this summer – maybe I’ll see you there!
Check out the official Summer Streets website for more info.