New York Announces New Bike Lanes and Public Space Improvements

As part of its commitment to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, the city identified several major projects for 2023 that include protected bike lanes and public plazas.

1 minute read

November 28, 2022, 5:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Washington Bridge over Harlem River, New York

NYCDOT announced plans for bicycle and pedestrian access improvements on the Washington Bridge connecting Manhattan and the Bronx. | KazT / Washington Bridge, New York

The New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) announced new plans for a significant expansion of its bike lane network and improvements to pedestrian infrastructure and public space in 2023, according to an article by Michael Brady in Smart Cities Dive.

“The upgrades build on the city’s Open Streets program — which closes some streets to vehicle traffic for use by pedestrians and cyclists — and its efforts to create the largest bike network in the U.S., which surpassed the 1,500-mile mark in October.”

“The agency plans to make it easier for bicycles and pedestrians to access the Washington Bridge, which connects the Bronx and Manhattan and adds protected bike lanes and two-way bike boulevards to several streets.” Plans also include a renovation of the Grand Army Plaza and other public space improvements in Brooklyn.

A press release from the city states, “DOT is working with communities across New York City to reimagine streets as public space, marking a significant stride in bringing new public spaces from Bike Boulevards to Shared Streets to Pedestrian Plazas to new corridors citywide.”

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