No Giving In To The Meandering Runner

Living in New York City has its benefits and its drawbacks. This is true not only for the population of New Yorkers generally but also for the population of New Yorkers who are also runners. On the one hand, New York is home to probably more runners than in any other state in America. For any given race held by the New York Road Runners Club on any given weekend, it is not unusual to see upwards of 5,000 eager runners lining up to compete in races as short as 4 miles and as long as half a marathon. That's the benefit to living in New York City. The drawbacks are largely all borne out of the simple lack of space to house everything the Big Apple offers to citizens and visitors alike. Home to most major companies, many famous museums and art galleries, all of Broadway's differing genres of theatrical performances, two baseball teams, a hockey team, a basketball team (alas, both the New York Giants and New York Jets actually play in New Jersey) and approximately 8 million people, New York certainly gets the most out of what little space it has. As a runner living in this island city-o'-plenty, I have gotten used to the lack of different running courses and to constantly having to avoid the mass of foot and road traffic that stands between me and that day's finishing line. Unfortunately, however, there are many runners who don't seem to grasp this give-and-take notion when it comes to living in New York City and don't feel as though compromise need be made. While, initially, I was quick to agree with their sentiments, upon some thoughtful reflection, I have found myself aghast at their selfishness and inclined to disagree with them wholeheartedly.

For some time now, the people at the advocacy group, Transportation Alternatives, have been on a mission "to reclaim New York City's streets from the automobile, and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives". Sounds altruistic, no? Well, I thought so too at first. But not anymore. One of Transportation Alternative's biggest initiatives, which happens to still be on-going at the time of this writing, is to put an end to all vehicular traffic at all times in New York's Central Park. As it stands right now, cars are allowed access on weekdays (never on weekends) through the Park's roadways from 8:00am until 10:am on the West Drive (from 110th Street South to Central Park South & 7th Avenue), 3:00pm until 7:00pm on the East Drive (from 72nd Street & Fifth Avenue to 110th Street), 7:00am until 7:00pm on the Center Drive (from the 6th Avenue entrance on Central Park South to the East 72nd Street & 5th Avenue exit) and 8:00am until 10:00am on the 72nd Street Cross Drive (from 72nd & 5th to West Drive South). Believing these restrictions not limiting enough, Transportation Alternatives has argued that, "the presence of car traffic mars the experience of the park for recreational users and poses a serious and ongoing safety and health hazard" and that, "Drivers are in the park precisely when recreational use is at its peak". Thusfar, Transportation Alternatives has been unsuccessful in accomplishing a total ban of cars in Central Park but, with ever increasing support, their goal may become a reality sometime not so far away.

Many times in my storied past, I have found myself running in Central Park and becoming quite agitated each time a car zoomed past me. It is distracting, dangerous and simply unpleasant. But, being as this took place in New York, it is just something I have gotten used to. As the incredibly frustrating congestion on seemingly every single road within the city's borders gets more and more frustrating everyday, I think opening up more road space is a good idea. With two sufficiently wide lanes designated for biking and running, the roads of Central Park can accommodate runners, bikers and drives at the same time. And, perhaps more importantly, the great majority of those affected by drivers in Central Park are those that use the park during the that time of the weekdays when most people should be working!! Granted there are many who are gainfully employed who are able to get in a run at 7:00am, 8:00am and, even, 9:00am, but, for the most part, the vehicular traffic rules largely affect only those who aren't at work in the midday. Why should we inconvenience those who are productive citizens trying to get to work quicker in vehicles for those who have the luxury of being able to run or bike at 2pm on a Wednesday? The simple answer is, we shouldn't.