Overview
- DOT's plan, presented Tuesday to Manhattan Community Board 2, creates a protected two-way bike route that closes the southbound gap between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Flatiron District.
- The redesign converts the existing northbound lane on Lafayette Street into an 11-foot two-way track from Prince Street to 15th Street and continues the connection on Fourth Avenue.
- Pedestrian space grows with painted sidewalk extensions on Fourth Avenue and a Citi Bike dock moved off the Lafayette Street sidewalk into the roadway to ease crowding and curb sidewalk riding.
- Construction is aligned with scheduled street repaving this spring to finish the key upgrades before the summer tournament, with nine concrete pedestrian islands to follow in late 2026 and early 2027.
- Officials cite past projects that cut severe injuries by about 30%, and advocates say the plan fixes a long-standing network gap, though some residents worry about learning to check both directions at two-way bike lanes.