Two-way protected bike lane from Steinway Street to 51st Street will connect Astoria and Woodside to the Queens Waterfront Greenway and East River
Existing design (top) and proposed redesign (bottom) for bike boulevard on 31st Avenue. Credit: NYC DOT
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced the second phase of the 31st Avenue “bike boulevard” redesign in Astoria, Queens, set to begin later this year.
A bike boulevard is a street design that prioritizes cyclists and pedestrians while maintaining local vehicle access. These corridors are designed to reduce traffic, slow vehicle speeds and create safer, more comfortable routes for riders of all ages.
The second phase of the project proposes a parking-protected, two-way bike lane from Steinway Street to 51st Street, creating a continuous bike boulevard through Astoria from the waterfront at Vernon Boulevard into Woodside. The redesign will increase visibility at intersections, dramatically expand pedestrian space and better organize traffic, improving safety for everyone who uses the corridor.
“At the heart of this administration is a commitment to building a safer city for everyone who calls New York home,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Bike boulevards calm our streets, protect pedestrians and cyclists and make clear that public spaces belong to people, not just cars. This next phase of improvements will help knit Astoria and Woodside together with safer, greener and more accessible streets for New Yorkers.”
“The redesign of 31st Avenue as a bike boulevard was born out of a need for a safer street that prioritizes community building and safety over speeding and cut-through traffic,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “Phase two expands this successful project with more pedestrian space, shortened crossings and enhanced visibility, and brings a much-needed cycling connection from Woodside, through the heart of Astoria, to the East River.”
31st Avenue from Steinway Street to 51st Street is a Vision Zero Priority Area, defined as a geographic zone with a high number of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries. From 2021 to 2025, seven pedestrians and two cyclists were severely injured, and one cyclist was killed along the stretch between Steinway and 51st streets. 67% of trips to local businesses in Astoria are taken on foot or by bike, while only 17% are completed by car.
Connecting Cycling Infrastructure
The proposed expansion will connect to existing cycling infrastructure on Crescent Street and the Queens Waterfront Greenway along the East River, as well as new protected lanes for 51st Street connecting to existing lanes on Northern Boulevard. Together with protected lanes on Broadway and 34th Avenue, the project will create a fully protected east-west corridor between the East River and Jackson Heights.
Phase one and phase two of the 31st Avenue bike boulevard. Credit: NYC DOT
Reorganizing Travel Patterns
Traffic diversions at select intersections will reverse the flow of one-way traffic to reduce vehicle volumes, cut-through truck traffic and noise while discouraging speeding. One-way conversions will maintain local access and parking for residents and deliveries while reducing conflicts at intersections to improve safety.
A new circular traffic diverter at 31st Avenue and 43rd Street will improve visibility for pedestrians and cyclists and shorten pedestrian crossings. The design will maintain access for emergency vehicles and buses and allow vehicles to continue making all current movements through the intersection.
The proposed redesign of the intersection at 31st Avenue and 43rd Street adds a circular traffic diverter to shorten pedestrian crossings and clarify vehicle movements. Credit: NYC DOT
Adjusting Phase 1
In addition to the proposed redesign from Steinway Street to 51st Street, NYC DOT will make adjustments to the existing phase one corridor from Vernon Boulevard to 31st Street. The agency will add a new traffic signal at 31st Avenue and Vernon Boulevard and update signals at 31st Avenue and 35th Street to clarify movements at those intersections.
New curb regulations along the corridor will provide additional loading zones and encourage vehicle turnover to support nearby businesses.
Phase one of the 31st Avenue redesign added a ‘shared street’ design that expands pedestrian space and enhances connections to existing cycling infrastructure. Credit: NYC DOT
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