In just two days, more than 10,000 people have watched Streetfilms' great Summer Streets video!

New York took an historic step this Saturday, opening up 7 miles of streets to pedestrians, cyclists, and a host of community uses. The car-free boulevard stretched from Central Park all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Streetfilms was there to capture the fun. Sounds like the video is a hit with the Livable Streets community:

• "We came into Manhattan via the F Train at Lex / 63rd and walked over to Park Ave. For the first time ever I was not worried about my kids running onto Park Avenue." - Eric
• "I signed up to volunteer at a summer streets event not really know what summer street was. It was the best time! i can't wait to experience the next 2 Saturdays. You will find me running, learning to bike and just dancing in the streets! Between the traffic and bike rental costs, I've never been motivated to learn but can't pass up free open road!" - Betty
• "The best news is that any and all cities can copy and follow NYC’s example, regardless of size and location. Portland did Sunday Parkways on June 22, in October Chicago, April 2009 Baltimore...Clarence's videos will help others get moving. It’s not rocket science...just do it!" - Gil Peñalosa (former Bogotá Commissioner of Parks, Sport, and Recreation).
  

 

This weekend's event was an amazing success, and we're looking forward to two more days of Summer Streets: this Saturday 8/16 and next Saturday 8/23.

Summer Streets is NYC's version of Ciclovia, a celebrated institution in Bogotá, Colombia. Every Sunday and holiday, Bogotá opens dozens of miles to roads to pedestrians, cyclists, runners, dancers, musicians, and everyone else. The event provides the physical space that makes for healthy, safe communities.

The Summer Streets video adds to Streetfilms' cache of fun and inspiring vignettes that can be used for Livable Streets advocacy around the world. Streetfilms like Ciclovia: Bogotá, Colombia have already helped inspire cities like Baltimore build critical support that opens their streets to the public.

For more great snapshots, check out Streetsblog's Summer Streets Photo Tour. 

Photo courtesy of doddnyc/Flickr.