The Central Park Drives Survey

In partnership with the NYC Department of Transportation and NYC Parks, we are leading a community-informed, multi-year plan to increase the safety and mobility of the Drives for the Park's 42 million annual visitors. Since Central Park became car-free in 2018 and the COVID pandemic increased overall visitation, the Drives have experienced unprecedented use by pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, electric modes of transportation, caregivers, school groups, bird enthusiasts, and more. Our goal is to foster a shared circulation route for users that are as diverse as the dynamic city that we serve.

We held the first two public meetings online in March 2023, and you can view recordings from each session on March 28 and March 30. We also held an in-Park public meeting on June 28 at the North Meadow Center.

Thank you for sharing your feedback through the Survey and interactive Proxi map. Comments are now closed.

We can’t do this work without Central Park's community. Your feedback and ideas will be used to recommend innovative design and policy solutions.

Stay tuned for additional updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the goal of this study?

The goal of the Central Park Drives Study to get extensive community input to inform policies and design solutions that will enhance the user experience on the iconic Park Drives, taking into account its car-free reality while remaining true to the core purpose of Central Park as a respite from the pace and pressures of City life for everyone.

Through the study, we want to listen and learn from the diverse array of user groups that interact with the Drives. Feedback and ideas will be used to recommend policy and design interventions to be shared with the Mayor’s Office, NYC DOT, and NYC Parks.

2. Who is conducting the study?

The study is led by the Central Park Conservancy, in partnership with NYC Department of Transportation and NYC Parks. Research will be conducted by consultant Sam Schwartz Engineering, which will include a peer review of challenges and solutions from parks across the globe.

3. When will you release recommendations?

The study will be conducted in phases, and will include a slate of community meetings over the summer. Once these are concluded we will compile and share recommendations in the fall/winter of 2023.

4. How can the community get involved?

Your perspective is vital to this study. We encourage members of our community to take the survey included on this page so we can learn how you use Central Park’s Drives. The community is also welcome to attend upcoming presentations and hearings to local community boards neighboring the Park and to a diverse array of organizations and groups who use the Drives. Sign up for our mailing list to be informed of upcoming events.