New York City recently 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.
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.
“New Yorkers asked us to make more room for people to walk, bike and enjoy their city, and we listened. 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.”
NYC Mayor Mamdani.
Images: Courtesy of Starr Whitehouse
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