Alki Avenue from California Way Southwest around Alki Beach to the south end of 63rd at Beach Drive from noon until 6 p.m. will be "car-free," Sunday, Sept. 7.

One lane will be coned off for the Water Taxi Shuttle and to provide access for residents living along Alki.

Its part of a promotion Mayor Greg Nickels calls "Car-Free" Sundays that will occur at three different areas in the city in August and September. Select streets will be open to pedestrians and cyclists. People are also invited to walk, bike, skate, run and play in the street.

"Neighbors will have three to six hours to experience our streets in a new way and to see how livable a city can be when people drive less," Nickels said in a statement. "This is our chance to experiment and to evaluate how these events work for people. And we'll be fighting global warming at the same time."

Exceptions will be made for residents, park permittees, service and emergency vehicles, and access for people with disabilities.

As part of the city's Seattle Climate Action Now's "Give Your Car the Summer Off" campaign aims to combat global warming by encouraging residents to drive 1,000 fewer miles a year.

Cars are Seattle's biggest single source of climate pollution and the city is offering a wide range of incentives for people to give up their cars for a day, a month, or a lifetime.

Other car-free locations:

* Sunday, August 24: "Car Free Volunteer Park and 14th Avenue East." Opens 14th Avenue East from Volunteer Park to East Republican Street, from noon to 6 p.m. during the Peace Concert in the park. The Volunteer Park Western Loop will also be car-free.

* Sunday, August 31: "Car Free Rainier." Opens Rainier Avenue South from South Orcas to South Alaska Streets from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. To link Genesee Park to Columbia City, cars will also be restricted on Conover Street, part of 38th Avenue South and South Alaska Street. This event coincides with Bicycle Sunday on Lake Washington Boulevard

These events are meant to set the stage for adding more streets for car-free days in 2009, similar to the ones recently announced by the city of San Francisco. San Francisco will open six miles of streets to the public for four hours on Aug. 31 and Sept. 14.

Other participating cities include New York, Portland, Vancouver, BC, and Bogota, Colombia.

To learn more visit www.seattlecan.org and www.seattle.gov/parks/walk.htm.

The Alki Car Free map can be seen at http://hosted.robinsonnews.com/maps/CARFREE_MAP.jpg