The year 2007 may prove to be one of the most important years in the storied history of New York City's development. In a future timeline of urban advances, it might be printed in as big a font and as bold a type as 1811--when the grid system was adopted--or 1904--when the I.R.T. subway opened. The text adjacent to 2007 could say something like "the start of livable streets," or "the bike boom begins," or "congestion pricing kicks off." It may turn out that all of those descriptions may suit 2007. The real question is, in hindsight, will they?

The more time cars have to traverse Prospect Park, the less it resembles an urban sanctuary, advocates of fewer cars in the park said this week.

In a series of letters to this newspaper, local residents; many of whom are members of Transportation Alternatives, a pedestrian and cyclist advocacy group, railed against the Department of Transportation's (DOT) decision to extend holiday hours, allowing automobiles access 24 hours a day to motorists, Monday through Friday and excluding holidays, through December.