Overview
- City officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking on Wednesday, May 27, and DOT crews began work extending protected bike lanes from Calyer Street to the Pulaski Bridge with in‑house construction expected to take about two to three months.
- The project is a road diet that will remove one vehicle lane in each direction and install a curbside parking lane plus parking‑protected bike lanes on both sides to shorten crossing distances and slow traffic.
- DOT said the current build is funded from its annual operating budget and that the $39 million in capital funds set aside in 2021 for a larger, permanent overhaul has not been used.
- The redesign’s revival follows Manhattan prosecutors charging Gina and Anthony Argento and former Adams aide Ingrid Lewis‑Martin last year with allegedly paying to water down the prior plan; that criminal case is active with a July 16 court date.
- Advocates who pressed for changes after the 2021 death of teacher Matthew Jensen hailed the move and DOT data from the southern section show little added congestion and more daily cyclists, making the corridor a likely model for other revived safety projects.