- Car-Free Sunday Comes to New York City’s Iconic Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue in New York City is considered iconic and is renowned as one of the most prestigious and upscale streets in the world. Fifth Avenue runs through the heart of Manhattan and is home to some of the city’s most famous landmarks and high-end retail stores, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Trump Tower, the Empire State Building, Tiffany & Co., and many others. Fifth Avenue has become a symbol of luxury, wealth, architecture, and commercial significance.
But on three Sundays in December 2023, for the first time in 50 years, cars will be prohibited by law, according to a partnership between the New York City Department of Transportation, City Hall, the New York City Police Department, and the Fifth Avenue Association. NBC News reported the following on December 1, 2023:
• “On Dec. 3, 10, and 17, from noon until 6 p.m., a stretch of Fifth Avenue will only be open to pedestrians.” [1]
• “Through a partnership between the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), NYPD, and the Fifth Avenue Association, the city will — for the first time in half a century — transform Fifth Avenue, from 48th Street to 57th Street, into an Open Street three Sundays in December.” [1]
• “The city announced that 12 city blocks will be open for pedestrians only, making it the largest-ever holiday season-specific Open Streets program. This year, the area will expand by 25%, opening Fifth Avenue up to pedestrians from 48th Street up to 59th Street — reaching up to Central Park.” [1]
• “On Dec. 3, 10, and 17, from noon until 6 p.m., Fifth Avenue in that section of midtown will only be open to pedestrians, the city said. On these designated Sundays, these areas will also feature performances as well as food and drink vendors.” [1]
• “The NYPD will help ensure that vehicle traffic does not enter those streets and barriers will be in place to prevent traffic flow.” [1]
Manhattan, with its business and tourist districts, is known for having some of the most congested and challenging traffic conditions in the world. In addition, it is one of the most densely populated cities and has an extensive public transportation system. And for city officials to shut down all traffic on Sunday and designate this day as something special in one of the most influential cities, it takes a great deal of work, preparation, and cooperation.
As the famous motto says, “If I can make it there (New York City), I can make it anywhere,” this brings new life to the idea of car-free Sundays enforced by law. If they can make New York City car-free on Sundays, which is one of the hardest places to implement such a policy due to the disruption of so many people’s livelihoods, they can achieve car-free Sundays anywhere. People can and will be forced to rest on Sundays.
With so much emphasis on reducing CO2 emissions to save the planet, it’s no wonder Car-Free Sunday is becoming increasingly popular. Restricting cars on Sundays is being used to bring the community together, promote a sense of well-being, save the environment, and encourage a shared day of rest for the community. Since the major churches already view Sunday as a day of rest and worship, there is no doubt that they will accept and support any and all restrictions on the day. However, what is even more concerning is seeing the NYPD impose these restrictions that directly force people to honor Sunday, a religious tradition.
“I have been much burdened in regard to movements that are now in progress for the enforcement of Sunday observance. It has been shown to me that Satan has been working earnestly to carry out his designs to restrict religious liberty. Plans of serious import to the people of God are advancing in an underhand manner among the clergymen of various denominations, and the object of this secret maneuvering is to win popular favor for the enforcement of Sunday sacredness. If the people can be led to favor a Sunday law, then the clergy intend to exert their united influence to obtain a religious amendment to the Constitution, and compel the nation to keep Sunday” (Review and Herald, December 24, 1889).
