We urge the New York City Parks Department to keep Freedom Drive in Forest Park permanently open to vehicular traffic. Freedom Drive, which runs from Myrtle Avenue to Park Lane South, was closed during COVID for temporary open-space use. Since then, the closure has created serious safety, traffic, and emergency access problems for surrounding communities. While Parks has moved forward with a partial seasonal reopening, this limited approach does not address the ongoing impacts and risks created by uncertainty and potential future closures.

Public safety declined when the road was fully closed. Without regular vehicle traffic, Freedom Drive became isolated and unsafe, with multiple reported incidents including assaults, threats, and people being followed or chased. Many residents no longer felt comfortable walking or exercising there alone, and illegal activity increased due to limited visibility and patrols. Freedom Drive was reopened to vehicular traffic on (insert date), and since that reopening, no accidents or safety incidents have been reported. Large, highly visible signs were installed to alert pedestrians to the roadway’s reopening, and DOT has been contacted multiple times to request additional signage and speed bumps to further enhance safety.

Emergency response has also been affected by the closure. The NYPD’s 102nd Precinct and the FDNY support reopening Freedom Drive because it provides a critical connection between the communities north and south of Forest Park. First responders reported longer response times when the road was closed, forcing emergency vehicles to take indirect routes around Forest Park during time-sensitive situations. Since the reopening, emergency access and response times have improved, reinforcing the importance of keeping this roadway open year-round.

The closure has significantly increased traffic congestion in surrounding areas. Myrtle Avenue, Park Lane South, and nearby residential streets have experienced daily backups, illegal turns, and dangerous driving conditions. Bus routes including the Q55 and Q37 are frequently delayed, impacting students, workers, and families. During heavy rain or roadway closures, the lack of an alternate route worsens gridlock and increases safety risks. The reopening of Freedom Drive has helped relieve congestion and has been met with a positive response from commuters, walkers, and runners alike.

Closing Freedom Drive again in May would create unnecessary confusion for all who rely on this corridor. Freedom Drive has functioned as a roadway, not a park path, since it was built and opened on May 7, 1929. Surrounding homes and schools have coexisted with this road for nearly a century. Forest Park encompasses 543 acres, and Freedom Drive is not included in that acreage. The Community Board voted decisively to reopen the road, with 33 members in favor and 9 opposed. We strongly urge the Department of Transportation and the Parks Department to respect the historical and functional use of Freedom Drive and keep it permanently open to vehicular traffic for the safety and well-being of the entire community.

Freedom Drive already has a newly renovated, double-wide sidewalk that safely accommodates pedestrians, runners, and cyclists. Keeping the road open year-round does not eliminate green space or pedestrian access. Forest Park is already crossed by multiple roadways, and Freedom Drive has long served as an important transportation link. Please sign this petition to tell NYC Parks that our community needs Freedom Drive open year-round.

Statement on the importance of keeping Freedom Drive open from Captain Michael Keighron, Engine 294:
"In my experience as a first responder who works in the area, the continued closure of Freedom Drive has severely hampered our response times to emergencies in and around Forest Park. When the road was open, it provided a critical throughway that allowed police, fire, and EMS vehicles to respond quickly to calls from either direction. Since the closure, we’ve been forced to take longer, less direct routes around the park, which can mean the difference between a timely response and a preventable tragedy. Reopening Freedom Drive would not only improve access for emergency services but also enhance overall safety for residents, park goers, and drivers alike.”