Central Park

==Transportation==
Central Park incorporates a system of pedestrian walkways, scenic drives, bridle paths, and transverse roads to aid traffic circulation,{{sfn|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1974|p=6 (PDF p. 7)}} and it is easily accessible via several subway stations and bus routes.<ref name="manbus"/>

===Public transport===
[[File:5 Av Subway Station entrance.jpg|thumb|upright=1|alt=Subway entrance just outside Central Park|Entrance to the [[Fifth Avenue–59th Street (BMT Broadway Line)|Fifth Avenue–59th Street]] subway station just outside Central Park]]
The New York City Subway's [[IND&nbsp;Eighth Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Eighth center}}) runs along the western edge of the park. Most of the Eighth Avenue Line stations on Central Park West serve only the local {{NYCS trains|Eighth center local day|time=nolink}}, while the [[59th&nbsp;Street–Columbus Circle station]] is additionally served by the express {{NYCS trains|Eighth center express|time=nolink}} and the [[IRT&nbsp;Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Broadway-Seventh local day}}). The [[IRT&nbsp;Lenox Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Lenox south}}) has a station at [[Central Park North–110th Street (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)|Central Park North]]. From there the line curves southwest under the park and heads west under 104th&nbsp;Street. On the southeastern corner of the park, the [[BMT&nbsp;Broadway Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Broadway&nbsp;60th}}) has a station at [[Fifth Avenue–59th Street (BMT Broadway Line)|Fifth Avenue and 59th&nbsp;Street]].<ref name="submap"/> The [[63rd&nbsp;Street lines]] ({{NYCS trains|63rd&nbsp;Lexington header}}) pass underneath without stopping,<ref name="submap">{{NYCS const|map}}</ref> and the line contains a single ventilation shaft within the park, west of Fifth Avenue and 63rd&nbsp;Street.{{sfn|Kinkead|1990|pp=225–226}}

Various bus routes pass through Central Park or stop along its boundaries. The [[M10 and M20 buses|M10]]&nbsp;bus stops along Central Park West, while the [[M5 (New York City bus)|M5]]&nbsp;and part of the [[M7 (New York City bus)|M7]]&nbsp;runs along Central Park South, and the {{NYC bus link|M2|M3|M4|prose=y}} run along Central Park North. The [[M1 (New York City bus)|M1]], M2, M3, and M4&nbsp;run southbound along Fifth Avenue with corresponding northbound bus service on Madison Avenue. The {{NYC bus link|M66|M72|M79 SBS}} ([[Select Bus Service]]), {{NYC bus link|M86 SBS|M96|M106|prose=y}} buses use the transverse roads across Central Park. The {{NYC bus link|M12|M20|M104|prose=y}} only serve Columbus Circle on the south end of the park, and the {{NYC bus link|M31|M57|prose=y}} run on [[57th Street (Manhattan)|57th&nbsp;Street]] two blocks from the park's south end but do not stop on the boundaries of the park.<ref name="manbus">{{cite NYC bus map|M}}</ref>

Some of the buses running on the edge of Central Park replaced former [[Tram|streetcar]] routes that [[List of streetcar lines in Manhattan|formerly traveled across Manhattan]]. These streetcar routes included the Sixth Avenue line, which became the M5 bus, and the Eighth Avenue line, which became the M10.{{sfn|Meyers|2005|p=32}} Only one streetcar line traversed Central Park: the 86th&nbsp;Street Crosstown Line, the predecessor to the M86&nbsp;bus.{{sfn|Meyers|2005|p=65}}

===Transverse roads===
[[File:CP Transverse Rd 1 west arches cloudy early spring jeh.jpg|thumb|upright=1|alt=A stone transverse arch|66th Street transverse]]
Central Park contains four transverse roadways that carry crosstown traffic across the park.<ref name="central-park-map"/>{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=130–135}}{{sfn|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1974|p=6 (PDF p. 7)}} From south to north, they are at [[66th Street (Manhattan)|66th&nbsp;Street]], [[79th Street (Manhattan)|79th&nbsp;Street]], [[86th Street (Manhattan)|86th&nbsp;Street]], and [[97th Street (Manhattan)|97th&nbsp;Street]]; the transverse roads were originally numbered sequentially in that order. The 66th&nbsp;Street transverse connects the discontinuous sections of 65th&nbsp;and 66th&nbsp;streets on either side of the park. The 97th&nbsp;Street transverse likewise joins the disconnected segments of [[96th Street (Manhattan)|96th]]&nbsp;and 97th&nbsp;streets. The 79th&nbsp;Street transverse links West&nbsp;81st and East&nbsp;79th streets, while the 86th&nbsp;Street transverse links West 86th&nbsp;Street with East 84th&nbsp;and 85th&nbsp;streets.<ref name="central-park-map"/> Each roadway carries two lanes, one in each direction, and is sunken below the level of the rest of the park to minimize the transverses' visual impact on it.{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=130–135}}{{sfn|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1974|p=6 (PDF p. 7)}} The transverse roadways are open even when the park is closed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02612|title=Central Park|date=March 18, 2009|publisher=[[Government of New York City]]|access-date=April 14, 2019}}</ref>

The 66th&nbsp;Street transverse was the first to be finished, having opened in December 1859.{{sfn|New York City Department of Parks and Recreation|1863|p=77 (PDF p. 80)}} The 79th&nbsp;Street transverse—which passed under Vista Rock, Central Park's second-highest point—was completed by a railroad contractor because of their experience in drilling through hard rock;{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=168–169}} it opened in December 1860. The 86th&nbsp;and 97th&nbsp;Street transverses opened in late 1862.{{sfn|New York City Department of Parks and Recreation|1863|p=77 (PDF p. 80)}} By the 1890s, maintenance had decreased to the point where the 86th&nbsp;Street transverse handled most crosstown traffic because the other transverse roads had been so poorly maintained.{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=294–295}} Both ends of the 79th&nbsp;Street transverse were widened in 1964 to accommodate increased traffic.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/08/09/archives/city-to-open-last-section-of-road-in-central-park.html |title=City to Open Last Section Of Road in Central Park|date=August 9, 1964|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 18, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418180857/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/08/09/archives/city-to-open-last-section-of-road-in-central-park.html|archive-date=April 18, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Generally, the transverses were not maintained as frequently as the rest of the park, though being used more frequently than the park proper.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/05/realestate/streetscapes-central-park-transverses-neglected-and-abused-crosstown-roads.html |title=Streetscapes: Central Park Transverses|last=Gray|first=Christopher|date=November 5, 1989 |work=The New York Times|access-date=April 18, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418215308/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/05/realestate/streetscapes-central-park-transverses-neglected-and-abused-crosstown-roads.html|archive-date=April 18, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Scenic drives===
[[File:Taxis routes Central Park.JPG|thumb|upright=1|alt=A Center Drive intersection with four cars stopped at a cross road|Center Drive in Central Park]]
The park has three scenic drives that travel through it vertically.<ref name="central-park-map"/> They have multiple traffic lights at the intersections with pedestrian paths, although there are some [[List of arches and bridges in Central Park|arches and bridges]] where pedestrian and drive traffic can cross without intersection.{{sfn|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1974|p=6 (PDF p. 7)}}<ref name="Reed 1990"/>{{sfn|Heckscher|2008|pp=45–46}} To discourage park patrons from speeding, the designers incorporated extensive curves in the park drives.{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=244–246}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/29/nyregion/deaths-expose-chaos-of-central-parks-loop.html |title=Deaths Expose Chaos of Central Park's Loop|last=Goodman|first=J. David|date=September 28, 2014|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 13, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328213832/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/29/nyregion/deaths-expose-chaos-of-central-parks-loop.html|archive-date=March 28, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Anchor|List of drives}} {{vanchor|West Drive}} is the westernmost of the park's three vertical "drives". The road, which carries southbound bicycle and horse-carriage traffic, winds through the western part of Central Park, connecting Lenox Avenue/Central Park North with Seventh Avenue/Central Park South and Central Drive.<ref name="central-park-map"/>

{{vanchor|Center Drive}} (also known as the "Central Park Lower Loop"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2012-09-28-central-park-loop.pdf|title=Central Park Drives: Improvements for Pedestrians & Cyclists|publisher=[[New York City Department of Transportation]]|date=September 28, 2012|access-date=October 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202063834/https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2012-09-28-central-park-loop.pdf|archive-date=December 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>) connects northbound bicycle and carriage traffic from Midtown at Central Park South/Sixth Avenue to East Drive near the 66th&nbsp;Street transverse. The street generally goes east and then north, forming the bottom part of the Central Park loop. The attractions along Center Drive include Victorian Gardens, the Central Park Carousel, and the Central Park Mall.<ref name="central-park-map"/>

{{vanchor|East Drive}}, the easternmost of the three drives, connects northbound bicycle and carriage traffic from Midtown to the Upper West Side at [[Lenox Avenue]]. The street is renowned for its country scenery and free concerts. It generally straddles the east side of the park along Fifth Avenue. The drive passes by the Central Park Zoo around 63rd&nbsp;Street and the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 80th&nbsp;to 84th&nbsp;Streets. Unlike the rest of the drive system, which is generally serpentine, East Drive is straight between the 86th&nbsp;and 96th&nbsp;Street transverses, because it is between Fifth Avenue and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.<ref name="central-park-map"/> East Drive is known as the "Elite Carriage Parade", because it was where the carriage procession occurred at the time of the park's opening, and because only five percent of the city was able to afford the carriage. In the late 19th&nbsp;century, West and East Drives were popular places for carriage rides.{{sfn|Morris|1996|p=95}}

Two other scenic drives cross the park horizontally. Terrace Drive is at 72nd&nbsp;Street and connects West and East Drives, passing over Bethesda Terrace and Fountain. The 102nd&nbsp;Street Crossing, further north near the street of the same name, is a former carriage drive connecting West and East Drives.<ref name="central-park-map"/>

==== Modifications and closures ====
In Central Park's earliest years, the [[speed limits]] were set at {{Convert|5|mph|km/h|abbr=}} for carriages and {{Convert|6|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} for horses, which were later raised to {{Convert|7|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|10|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} respectively. [[Commercial vehicle]]s and buses were banned from the park.{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=244–246}} Automobiles became more common in Central Park during the 1900s and 1910s, and they often broke the speed limits, resulting in crashes. To increase safety, the gravel roads were paved in 1912, and the carriage speed limit was raised to {{Convert|15|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} two years later. With the proliferation of cars among the middle class in the 1920s, traffic increased on the drives, to as many as eight thousand cars per hour in 1929.{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=400–401}} The roads were still dangerous; in the first ten months of 1929, eight people were killed and 249 were injured in 338 separate collisions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1929/11/27/archives/park-safety-is-aim-of-oneway-rules-no-intention-to-make-express.html |title=Park Safety Is Aim Of One-Way Rules|date=November 27, 1929|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007040026/https://www.nytimes.com/1929/11/27/archives/park-safety-is-aim-of-oneway-rules-no-intention-to-make-express.html|archive-date=October 7, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 1929, the scenic drives were converted from two-way traffic to unidirectional traffic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1929/11/23/archives/oneway-traffic-ordered-for-central-park-new-zone-created-to-relieve.html |title=One-Way Traffic Ordered for Central Park|date=November 23, 1929|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=October 6, 2018}}</ref> Further improvements were made in 1932 when forty-two traffic lights were installed along the scenic drives, and the speed limit was lowered to {{Convert|25|mph|km/h}}. The signals were coordinated so that drivers could go through all of the green lights if they maintained a steady speed of {{Convert|25|mph}}.{{sfn|Rosenzweig|Blackmar|1992|pp=400–401}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1932/04/01/archives/central-park-uses-new-traffic-lights-today-to-curb-speeding-and.html |title=Central Park Uses New Traffic Lights Today To Curb Speeding and Protect Pedestrians|date=March 1, 1932|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=October 6, 2018}}</ref> The drives were experimentally closed to automotive traffic on weekends beginning in 1967, for exclusive use by pedestrians and bicyclists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1967/04/17/archives/new-car-ban-set-for-central-park-test-will-give-cyclists-sole-use.html |title=New Car Ban Set For Central Park|date=April 17, 1967|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007000756/https://www.nytimes.com/1967/04/17/archives/new-car-ban-set-for-central-park-test-will-give-cyclists-sole-use.html|archive-date=October 7, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In subsequent years, the scenic drives were closed to automotive traffic for most of the day during the summer. By 1979, the drives were only open during rush hours and late evenings during the summer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/08/archives/car-ban-a-spring-ritual-gives-park-roads-to-the-people-central-park.html |title=Car Ban, a Spring Ritual, Gives Park Roads to the People|last=Daniels|first=Lee A|date=May 8, 1979|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006235427/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/08/archives/car-ban-a-spring-ritual-gives-park-roads-to-the-people-central-park.html|archive-date=October 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Legislation was proposed in October 2014 to conduct a study to make the park car-free in summer 2015.<ref name="ABC-Car-free-2018"/> In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the permanent closure of West and East Drives north of 72nd&nbsp;Street to vehicular traffic as it was proven that closing the roads did not adversely impact traffic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150618/upper-west-side/central-park-will-be-permamently-car-free-above-72nd-street-mayor-says|title=Central Park Will Be Permanently Car-Free Above 72nd Street, Mayor Says|last=Frost|first=Emily|date=June 18, 2015|work=[[DNAinfo]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928151120/http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150618/upper-west-side/central-park-will-be-permamently-car-free-above-72nd-street-mayor-says|archive-date=September 28, 2015|access-date=June 22, 2016}}</ref> After most of the Central Park loop drives were closed to vehicular traffic, the city performed a follow-up study. The city found that West Drive was open for two hours during the morning [[rush hour|rush period]] and was used by an average of 1,050 vehicles a day, while East Drive was open 12&nbsp;hours a day and was used by an average of 3,400 vehicles daily.<ref name="Mays 2018">{{cite news|first=Jeffery C.|last=Mays|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/20/nyregion/central-park-car-ban.html |title=Central Park's Scenic Drives Will Soon Be Car-Free|date=April 20, 2018|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708221307/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/20/nyregion/central-park-car-ban.html|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequently, all cars were banned from East Drive in January 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ny.curbed.com/2018/1/2/16842086/prospect-park-car-free-2018-photos|title=At last, Prospect Park is permanently car-free|last=Plitt|first=Amy|date=January 2, 2018|publisher=Curbed NY|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006235234/https://ny.curbed.com/2018/1/2/16842086/prospect-park-car-free-2018-photos|archive-date=October 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2018, de Blasio announced that the entirety of the three loop drives would be closed permanently to traffic.<ref name="Mays 2018"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-centralpark/new-york-banning-cars-from-central-park-starting-this-summer-idUSKBN1HR2SJ|title=New York banning cars from Central Park starting this summer|last=Cherelus|first=Gina|date=April 20, 2018|publisher=[[Reuters]] U.S.|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006235118/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-centralpark/new-york-banning-cars-from-central-park-starting-this-summer-idUSKBN1HR2SJ|archive-date=October 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The closure was put into effect in June 2018.<ref name="Walker 2018"/><ref name="ABC-Car-free-2018"/>

During the early 21st&nbsp;century, there were numerous collisions in Central Park involving cyclists. The 2014 death of Jill Tarlov, after she was hit by a cyclist on West 63rd&nbsp;Street, called attention to the issue.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Santora|first=Marc|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/nyregion/woman-dies-after-being-struck-by-central-park-cyclist.html |title=Woman Hit by a Bicyclist in Central Park Dies|date=September 22, 2014|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 25, 2020|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325175431/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/nyregion/woman-dies-after-being-struck-by-central-park-cyclist.html|archive-date=March 25, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, residents of nearby communities unsuccessfully petitioned the NYPD to increase enforcement of cycling rules within the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gothamist.com/news/nypd-rejects-central-park-cycling-crackdown-compromise|title=NYPD Rejects Central Park Cycling Crackdown Compromise|last=Del Signore|first=John|date=March 4, 2011|work=Gothamist|access-date=March 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325175430/https://gothamist.com/news/nypd-rejects-central-park-cycling-crackdown-compromise|archive-date=March 25, 2020}}</ref>