By Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — Pedestrians could take over some local streets and temporarily shut out car traffic this spring, under a new proposal approved earlier this week.
New York Weekend Walks, a plan to hold street fairs along Columbus Avenue from 106th to 110th Streets for three consecutive Sundays in May, got the thumbs up from a subcommittee of Community Board 7 on Wednesday night.
The proposal is similar to Summer Streets, and has the approval of the city’s Department of Transportation.
"We have being trying to do something along these lines for years," said Peter Arndtsen, district manager for the Columbus/Amsterdam Business Improvement District, the organization that submitted the proposal. "One of the things in this neighborhood is we have a real cross-section of people... This is a chance for them to all come together."
The vision for Weekend Walks on May 9th, 16th and 23rd is for pedestrians to rule the streets, interacting with numerous activities such as dance performances and lessons, live music, cuisines from local restaurants, art demonstrations and even exercise classes.
"We are really looking to highlight the things we love about the neighborhood," said Arndtsen.
He also hopes it would be a place that residents could learn about the organizations that are active in the neighborhood with informative stands along the closed avenue.
The reason Arndtsen chose Spring instead of Summer was to because he wanted students from neighboring Columbia University to attend before the school year ends.
"We want to make sure they are a part of it," Arndtsen said.
Now the proposal is clear to go before the full CB 7 board meeting on Tuesday, March 2nd. If approved, the plan would require a street permit from the mayor’s office, Arndtsen said.
