NYC DOT Announces Bike Network Upgrade, Pedestrian Improvements for NoHo, East Village, Union Square

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2026
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NYC DOT Announces Bike Network Upgrade, Pedestrian Improvements for NoHo, East Village, Union Square

Bike network upgrades, sidewalk expansions will improve safety, create new north-south bike connections between SoHo and Union Square

Planned improvements will help meet expected increase in visitors to popular Manhattan destinations during World Cup tournament this summer

Map of pedestrian and cycling safety upgrades presented to Community Board 2 Tuesday evening to help prepare for World Cup crowds at popular destinations like Union Square and Astor Place. Credit: NYC DOT

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced the agency would immediately begin a suite of bike lane and pedestrian space upgrades from SoHo and the East Village to Union Square this spring. The planned changes will expand sidewalks near Union Square and improve safety for everyone on the street, while also bringing upgrades to the area's bike lane network to create continuous, north-south connections from the Brooklyn Bridge to Astor Place and Union Square. Key improvements will be completed ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer, when the already high volumes of visitors in these areas are expected to increase. (See the plan presented to Manhattan's Community Board 2 on Tuesday evening).

"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," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "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. Mayor Mamdani has tasked us with acting with urgency, and we'll be taking advantage of our upcoming paving schedules in these neighborhoods to redesign our streets and put people first."

This World Cup-related effort follows NYC DOT's announcement last week that the agency will be delivering a permanent redesign of Ninth Avenue, in Hell's Kitchen, to also help prepare for crowds related to the tournament.

NEW BIKE CONNECTIONS

NYC DOT will deliver a continuous parking protected two-way bike lane between Prince Street, in SoHo, and 15th Street, in Union Square, along Lafayette Street and as the street becomes Fourth Avenue, where there is currently just a one-way northbound lane. The agency will expand the current five-foot lane to 11 feet to accommodate two-way cycling traffic. As part of the redesign, NYC DOT will also relocate an existing Citi Bike station on the heavily trafficked sidewalk of Lafayette, between Eighth Street and Ninth Street, into the roadway nearby to expand pedestrian space and reduce sidewalk riding.

The upgrades will create a two-way bike connection from the Brooklyn Bridge up to the Flatiron District, via Lafayette and Centre streets and as Fourth Avenue flows up into Broadway.

Similar street redesigns have shown to improve safety by reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries by 30 percent for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and those traveling by car.

By expanding the bike lane, the design reduces the time it takes pedestrians to cross vehicular traffic, and such changes are event more beneficial for pedestrian safety, reducing deaths and serious injuries for pedestrians by 31.7 percent.

Lafayette Street is already a popular northbound route, with two Citi Bike stations along the route in the East Village serving more than 26,000 riders per month.

CROSSTOWN UPGRADES

NYC DOT will also be adding a two-way bike lane on a block of Astor Place, between Broadway and Lafayette, to better connect cyclists traveling in lanes on Broadway and Lafayette Street, and add standard bike lanes on East Eighth Street for riders continuing east.

Later in the year, NYC DOT will harden 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 more hardening to come.

PEDESTRIAN UPGRADES

As part of the redesigns, NYC DOT will relocate an existing Citi Bike station on the heavily trafficked sidewalk of Lafayette Street, between Eighth Street and Ninth Street, into the roadway nearby, expanding pedestrian space and reduce sidewalk riding.

The agency will expand pedestrian space on the east side of Fourth Avenue, below 14th Street, where it will add painted sidewalk extensions along several blocks of a heavily congested area near Union Square. Later in 2026 and in 2027, the agency will add new concrete pedestrian islands between Spring Street and East 14th along Lafayette Street and Fourth Avenue.

NYC DOT developed the projects to align with existing street repaving schedules, optimizing operations to improve safety, support cycling and help the city prepare for the World Cup.

"I appreciate Commissioner Flynn and NYC DOT's continued commitment to safer, more accessible streets in Manhattan," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "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."

"Upgrading our bike-lane network will help countless New Yorkers get where they're going faster and safer," said Assembly Member Keith Powers. "I'm thrilled DOT is taking this next step toward improving our bike lane and pedestrian space infrastructure in the heart of downtown Manhattan so that New Yorkers can continue to take advantage of alternate modes of transportation. We know that pedestrian plazas, shared streets, and bike lanes dramatically increase foot traffic, help our small businesses thrive, and significantly improve quality of life for residents, visitors and workers alike. I look forward to seeing these improvements come to fruition."

"District 1 is one of the busiest, most heavily walked and biked parts of New York City, and these upgrades will make a real difference for the people who move through Lower Manhattan every day," said Council Member Christopher Marte. "Creating safer, more connected north-south bike routes from the Brooklyn Bridge up through SoHo and beyond, while also improving pedestrian space, is exactly the kind of street design our neighborhoods need. As visitor traffic increases this summer, we have to make sure our streets are safer, calmer, and work better for everyone."

"The NoHo Business Improvement District is excited to see Lafayette Street, in the heart of our neighborhood, modernized and adapted to meet the needs of our changing district," said Cordelia Persen, executive director, NoHo BID. "Over the past few years, we've seen record pedestrian foot traffic and increased numbers of bikes, and a streetscape that reflects this growth will be a great change for the area."

"The Village Alliance welcomes the safety improvements to Astor Place and the surrounding streets announced today. Expanding accessible connections for pedestrians and cyclists builds on what already makes this neighborhood special: streets that beg for a stroll to take in the exquisite architecture and one-of-a-kind character," said Scott Hobbs, executive director, Village Alliance. "These upgrades align with our own efforts to make the district more inviting for residents and the hundreds of thousands of visitors we receive each year."

"Upgrading bike lanes and pedestrian space ahead of the World Cup is smart and sensible and will help New York City efficiently accommodate increased activity," said Kate Slevin, executive vice president, Regional Plan Association. "Regional Plan Association has long emphasized that connected, protected bike networks and expanded pedestrian space are essential to safer streets, reduced congestion, and a more vibrant city. We anticipate over a million visitors for the World Cup and these improvements will help keep people moving, make our streets safer and offer enhanced accessibility well after the final match."

"For too long, there has been a gaping hole in Manhattan's network of protected bike lanes, with no safe way to travel south below 14th Street in the middle of the island. Thanks to the project being announced today, New Yorkers will finally be able to safely bike from Union Square all the way down to the Brooklyn Bridge," said Ben Furnas, executive director, Transportation Alternatives. "The redesign will also bring significantly more pedestrian space - sorely needed ahead of this summer's World Cup! Rolling all of the work into the repaving schedule is an efficient way to get the job done in time for this massive influx of people to an already busy area. This ambition and forward momentum is a sign that the Mamdani administration is serious about making our streets 'the envy of the world,' and we look forward to much more to come."

"Places like SoHo, the East Village, and Union Square already see more people than the streets were built to handle. With the influx of visitors we are expecting for the World Cup, that pressure is only going to grow," said Sara Lind, co-executive director, Open Plans. "Expanding sidewalks, improving bike connections, and investing in the public realm are all essential to making our streets more functional and welcoming spaces. How wonderful that the World Cup is an inflection point for making these much-needed improvements. New Yorkers will benefit from these investments for many years after the final whistle is blown."

"These upgrades are exactly the kind of forward-thinking investments New York City needs, and we commend Commissioner Flynn and DOT for their leadership," said Ken Podziba, CEO, Bike New York. "By expanding and connecting bike infrastructure while improving pedestrian space, DOT is making it safer and easier to move through Lower Manhattan-just as the city prepares for an influx of visitors during the FIFA World Cup this summer."