The elevated section of Park Avenue that snakes around Grand Central Terminal would get a bike lane under a design floated by the city transportation department this week.
The viaduct runs between East 40th to 46th streets, splitting the avenue in two as the street elevates and runs around either side of the first floor of the busy train hub. Both ends reconnect to the street out of an arch in the Helmsley Building. Cyclists who ride on the structure have to share space with cars, and the elevated roadway is typically off limits to pedestrians.
City officials last week announced a long-term plan to overhaul the section of Park Avenue just north of the train terminal with wider medians for pedestrians and a two-way bike lane on the street. But during a Public Design Commission on Tuesday, officials shared new renderings revealing they’re also considering a protected bicycle lane on the western portion of the viaduct, which currently carries southbound auto traffic.
The design proposal was first reported by Streetsblog.
Samir Lavingia, who lives in Midtown and sits on the local community board, said the redesign shows that city transportation department officials listened to community feedback by taking a more aggressive approach as part of the Park Avenue overhaul.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunity in these weird spaces, and I think it could honestly turn into a pretty cool attraction for people to go to,” Lavingia said.
The elevated roadway is a popular destination during the city’s annual Summer Streets events, when car traffic is banned from the viaduct to open it up to pedestrians and cyclists.
Transportation department spokesperson Will Livingston said that any new addition to the city’s bike network involves exploring all possible options for future bike lanes and that there were no additional details to share.