Images courtesy of NYC DOT
New York City has begun a series of bike lane and pedestrian space upgrades that will add a safer link between the Brooklyn Bridge and Union Square. On Wednesday, DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the start of work in Noho, the East Village, and Union Square, including a continuous north-south bike connection from the Brooklyn Bridge to Astor Place and Union Square. Officials say the most significant improvements will be completed before the FIFA World Cup in July, when the already busy area is expected to see a surge in visitors.
The plan, presented to Manhattan Community Board 2 on Tuesday evening, would deliver a continuous parking-protected two-way bike lane between Prince Street in Soho and 15th Street in Union Square, along Lafayette Street as it becomes Fourth Avenue, where there is currently only a one-way northbound lane.
On Lafayette Street, from Prince Street to East 8th Street, the existing five-foot-wide, one-way protected bike lane will be widened to an 11-foot-wide, two-way protected lane. The number of northbound travel lanes will also be reduced from two to one, and turn lanes will be added.
“These world-renowned destinations draw thousands of visitors on a given day and are expected to see increases this summer as the World Cup begins,” DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn said.
“This plan will deliver a host of upgrades for pedestrians and cyclists from the East Village to Madison Square, improving safety and creating a more welcoming experience for pedestrians.”
Proposed redesign of Lafayette Street from Prince to East 8th Streets
An “amenities zone” will also be created between the bike and parking lanes, providing space for cargo and bike parking, trash receptacles, and landscaping, while keeping bike lanes clear and pedestrians off the sidewalk. The redesign of Lafayette will require relocating the existing Citi Bike station just south of the Astor Place intersection, moving it into the roadway.
By widening the bike lane, the redesign shortens the time it takes pedestrians to cross vehicular traffic, changes that have been shown to reduce deaths and serious injuries for pedestrians by 31.7 percent.
Proposed redesign of Fourth Avenue from East 9th to East 13th Streets
On Fourth Avenue, from East 9th to East 13th Street, the existing five-foot-wide, one-way protected bike lane will be widened to an 11-foot-wide, two-way protected lane, reducing the number of northbound travel lanes from three to two and adding turn lanes.
Proposed redesign of Park Avenue South from East 14th to East 15th Streets
Additionally, on Park Avenue South between East 14th and East 15th Streets, the agency will convert the existing one-way bike lane into a two-way, concrete barrier-protected bike lane.
The redesign will also connect to the existing two-way bike lane north of East 15th Street at Union Square and reduce the number of northbound travel lanes from two to one between East 14th and East 16th Streets. Additional roadway space will facilitate easier pick-ups and drop-offs.
The upgrades also include a two-way bike connection from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Flatiron District via Lafayette and Centre Streets and along Fourth Avenue as it becomes Broadway. Similar street redesigns have been shown to improve safety, reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries by 30 percent for all road users, according to a press release.
Proposed redesign of Astor Place between Broadway and Lafayette Streets
The agency will also install a two-way bike lane on Astor Place between Broadway and Lafayette to better connect cyclists traveling on Broadway and Lafayette Street, while adding standard bike lanes on East Eighth Street for riders heading east.
Later this year, DOT will reinforce the existing westbound protected bike lane on 13th Street between Broadway and Greenwich Avenue with a new concrete curb to address chronic bike lane blocking, with additional upgrades planned.
To improve pedestrian safety, the DOT will expand pedestrian space on the east side of Fourth Avenue below 14th Street, adding painted sidewalk extensions along several heavily congested blocks near Union Square. Later this year and in 2027, DOT will install concrete pedestrian islands between Spring and East 14th Streets along Lafayette Street and Fourth Avenue.
In total, the project includes nine new pedestrian islands, three sidewalk extensions, and a signal study at Jersey Street. Construction of the concrete islands is scheduled for late 2026 and early 2027.
While DOT officials say two-way bike lanes will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, some attendees at Tuesday’s Community Board 2 presentation raised concerns about potential risks. They said pedestrians may not be accustomed to looking both ways when crossing a bike lane, which could put them in danger.
Deborah Brook, a resident of the Stewart House at 70 East 10th Street, said “people don’t look the way they’re supposed to look” and warned that placing two lanes running in opposite directions side by side would be a “disaster.” Brook also recommended the agency look into moving the project to Third Avenue.
Hayes Lord, a DOT spokesperson, pointed to future plans for bike lanes on Third Avenue and said the agency is focused on providing protected bike lanes “wherever possible” and wants to “continue to support cycling of all ages and abilities so you don’t have to go over one block,” while acknowledging concerns about safe crossings of two-way bike lanes.
The plan has been developed to complement existing street paving schedules, streamlining operations to improve safety while supporting cycling and helping the city prepare for the World Cup.
“I appreciate Commissioner Flynn and NYC DOT’s continued commitment to safer, more accessible streets in Manhattan,” Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said.
“These upgrades, including expanded sidewalks near Union Square and strengthened north-south bike connections, will help improve safety and better accommodate the thousands of New Yorkers and visitors who travel through this corridor each day, particularly as the city prepares for increased activity surrounding the World Cup,” he added.
In Hell’s Kitchen, DOT has launched another project expected to be completed ahead of the World Cup, when sidewalk overcrowding in the area is expected to increase. The project will redesign Ninth Avenue from West 34th to West 50th Streets, expanding pedestrian space, widening the protected bike lane, and extending and repainting the bus lane to 50th Street.
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