NEW YORK, NY – Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Mike Flynn, NYC Department of Transportation commissioner, announced a redesign of the Brooklyn Bridge’s Manhattan entrance to improve safety and access for cyclists and pedestrians ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
The project adds a dedicated bike connection along Centre Street, fully separating bike and pedestrian lanes for the first time.
Work begins this spring and will be completed before the World Cup’s June kickoff.
“Separating bike and pedestrian traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge has been an unmitigated success,” Flynn said, “But cyclists and pedestrians are still forced to navigate around each other as they enter and exit the bridge in Manhattan — and that disorder would only get worse this summer when we expect a massive increase in visitors to this iconic landmark.”
Nearly 30,000 pedestrians and more than 5,600 cyclists use the Brooklyn Bridge on an average day.
In 2021, NYC DOT installed a dedicated two-way bike lane on the Manhattan-bound roadway. Daily cycling volumes have more than doubled, from 2,652 in 2021 to 5,625 in 2025.
The new redesign will double the width of the southern crosswalk connecting the bridge to City Hall Park, fully separating pedestrians from cyclists at the Manhattan approach.
The Manhattan entrance redesign is the latest in a series of projects aimed at improving safety and access ahead of the World Cup, including upgrades to Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen and cycling infrastructure along Lafayette Street.
Most improvements are expected to be completed this spring.