Mamdani Administration Announces City Will Restart 31st Street Redesign in Astoria

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2026  
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Mamdani Administration Announces City Will Restart 31st Street Redesign in Astoria

NYC DOT will immediately restart the redesign process through fastest path to deliver the critical safety upgrades

City's law department will also file a notice of appeal of court ruling barring completion of the project

NEW YORK - The Mamdani Administration today announced the city will restart the process to redesign 31st Street in Astoria, Queens, a critical street safety project on one of the borough's most dangerous corridors. Following a court decision that halted the project on Friday, December 5, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) will begin the redesign process to comply with the court's decision -the fastest path to delivering the critical safety upgrades in the corridor. The New York City Law Department will also file a notice of appeal of the court's ruling.

"I love being in Astoria. Walking through it, biking across it, and driving from one end to the other," said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. "But when I can, I avoid doing so on 31st Street because it isn't safe for pedestrians, cyclists or drivers. Enough is enough. My Administration is restarting the 31st Street Redesign because New Yorkers shouldn't be forced to go out of their way because our roads are too dangerous."

"31st Street is one of the most dangerous corridors in Queens, and we must act with urgency to make it safer," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "We have a proven safety-focused design solution, and it will be implemented as quickly as possible. Since 2020, there have been two traffic deaths and 190 injuries along this corridor-and that is unacceptable. We are beginning the mandatory consultations and will issue the notices needed to restart the project, while also filing a notice of appeal of the court's decision."

Under city law, there is a legally required Major Transportation Project (MTP) process that must be followed for certain transportation projects. A court decision took issue with how NYC DOT previously completed this process. The agency intends to begin the MTP process for 31st Street again in compliance with the court's decision. This approach is the fastest path for delivering critical improvements to the corridor, and the city is also filing a notice of appeal.

NYC DOT began installing the project in 2025 to improve safety with a more orderly street design. The project would preserve the existing single travel lane in each direction, while adding parking protected bike lanes and pedestrian islands. Similar designs have shown to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries by 18 percent.