Fulfilling State of the City promise, protected bike lane to replace one vehicular lane; existing promenade space given entirely to 10,000 daily pedestrians
The de Blasio administration today cut the ribbon on a two-way protected bike lane along the Brooklyn Bridge. The bike lane, as originally proposed in the mayor’s State of the City address this year, repurposes one lane of vehicular traffic to accommodate the cycling boom that has seen thousands of New Yorkers choose healthier, greener, and more sustainable forms of transportation across the five boroughs. The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) has turned the existing promenade, which has been shared by cyclists and pedestrians for decades, into a pedestrian-only space.
This transformation is the first reconfiguration of the iconic bridge since trolley tracks were permanently removed in 1950.
“There’s no better sign that the cycling boom is here to stay than permanently redesigning the most iconic bridge in America,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This bike lane is more than just a safe, convenient option for thousands of daily cyclists. It’s a symbol of New York City fully embracing a sustainable future and striking a blow against car culture.”
“This is a historic moment as we work to get New Yorkers out of their cars and promote sustainable modes of transportation,” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “Bridges for the People is a step in the right direction towards a safer and more sustainable transportation future that puts people first – and we look forward to implementing similar changes to the Queensboro Bridge this year. I want to thank Council Members Lander, Chin and Levin, and of course Speaker Johnson, for their steadfast support for this groundbreaking project.”
Work on the bridge began in June and finished ahead of schedule this month. It included installing barrier segments, creating a new connecting bike path in Manhattan, including new traffic signal construction, adding protective fencing on the interior of the bridge, and implementing traffic changes to help avoid greater congestion in downtown. These changes create a safer and more seamless route along the bridge for cyclists and expand the dedicated space on the bridge’s promenade for pedestrians.
Bike crossings reached up to over 60,000 in the month prior to construction, while pedestrians have numbered more than 10,000 per day in recent years.
“This transformative change on New York’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge is a major step towards making our city more livable and sustainable,” said Ben Furnas, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability. “Creating a new high quality bike connection from Brooklyn to Manhattan and more space for pedestrians on the promenade above is a terrific example of how our fight against climate change can improve quality of life in the here and now. Congratulations to the Department of Transportation and all the New Yorkers who have been advocating for Bridges for the People.”
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