Mayor Mamdani Puts Even More ‘Park’ Back in Park Avenue With More Space for People

 

Updated design places protected bike lane alongside median while maintaining proposed pedestrian space expansion based on feedback from New Yorkers  

  

Project will make eleven blocks along Park Avenue safer, greener and more welcoming  

  

The updated redesign of Park Avenue converts a vehicle lane to a protected bike lane based on feedback from New Yorkers. CREDIT: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today unveiled an updated design to put the ‘park’ back in Park Avenue, reimagining 11 blocks of Midtown Manhattan as a greener, safer and more people-centered corridor.  

  

The updated design will expand the avenue’s median, add pedestrian space, seating and landscaping and convert an existing southbound vehicle travel lane into a two-way protected bike lane. The redesign responds to feedback from New Yorkers by moving the originally proposed two-way bike lane alongside the median into dedicated space while preserving expanded pedestrian areas.   

  

“New Yorkers asked us to make more room for people to walk, bike and enjoy their city, and we listened,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This updated design puts more space where it belongs: in the hands of New Yorkers. By expanding our medians, adding greenery and seating and creating a dedicated protected bike connection, we are making Park Avenue safer and more beautiful for everyone who uses it.”  

  

“Building on feedback from the community, this final design converts underused median space into vibrant public space while incorporating a dedicated, world-class bike connection that lays the foundation for future bike network upgrades in East Midtown,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “Whether you’re walking, biking or just looking for a place to sit and take a break, this project is about transforming Park Avenue to work better for New Yorkers as visitors alike.”  

   

Dedicated pedestrian space in the planted medians will feature flexible programming, temporary art and new vantage points for viewing iconic Midtown landmarks. CREDIT: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners  

The updated design covers 11 blocks from 46th Street to 57th Street. It would remove one travel lane in each direction and convert one additional southbound travel lane into a two-way protected bike lane. The expanded medians will accommodate seating, plantings and other pedestrian amenities, while new crosswalks will connect the medians along the corridor.  

  

The project area sits directly above the Grand Central Terminal train shed, which is undergoing a major capital rehabilitation by Metro-North Railroad. As the MTA replaces and waterproofs the structure below, the City is using the opportunity to transform the avenue above, aligning major infrastructure investment with a broader vision for public space shaped by community input.