WIlliamsburg, NY – For four Saturdays this summer, Bedford Avenue will become a place to lounge.
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The city will close Bedford Avenue to traffic as an experiment, turning the thoroughfare into a pedestrian-only plaza between Metropolitan Avenue and North Ninth Street.
Cars will still be able to cross Bedford on all the side streets, but each Bedford block will be traffic-free (that includes parked cars!) from noon to 7 pm on July 19, July 26, Aug. 2 and Aug. 9.
“It’s really an experiment of letting the community take over the streets,” said event coordinator Connie Colvin. “People can sit out in the street and do whatever they’d like. We expect for it to be a reflection of the area and the community — the artistic community, the Polish community, the Latino community.”
Northside business owners are optimistic about increased foot traffic, but anxious about turning cars away.
“Of course it will be great for business because it will bring more people — but it’s not the best idea,” said Jada Pleasant, a sales rep at the North Fourth Street furniture store Wonk. “Any time you close traffic, it’s really annoying for people who are using the roads. As a driver, I’m not into it. But as a business, it would be great.”
great that should help the eruv
Sorry but could anyone please lock up this mayor before he does all theses “experiment” on us?
Today its only an experiment, and tomorrow it will stay for good and expanded for the entire Bedford Ave.
Bloomber, GO AWAY!!!! GO AWAY!!!!
Ps. Do people from the community walk down Bedford Ave to that area? And if yes do they take along their Shtrimel and Bakitcha?
You don’t get it, it’s not in the yiddishe neighborhood at all, it’s in an area where the artists and hipsters occupy most of it, and the Polish community the rest, besides a small percentage of Hispanic.
Today there, tomorrow here.
The Mayor is very set on getting his way.
His ideas include eliminating one lane of Bedford Ave to allow a safe bicycle lane. The traffic is much worse and it does bring undesireable people into the neighborhood. These white bike riders think nothing of breaking off a mirror if they feel you have blocked their way, they also fling metal chains against cars for the same reason.
Imagine next closing 13th or 16th Ave on Shabbos and opening it up to some badly behaved bike riders. Now imagine if it spreads to Sunday, sometimes an Erev Yom Tov.
well we all know this mayor is crazy the reason 4 d bike lane is money only so if u drive in it u get a ticket
Now that there are less cars due to gasoline prices it’s a good idea to experiment.
The mayor is going nuts!
where is SIMCHA?
let’s close down 14th avenue on shabbos.