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Mamdani restarts planning for controversial Astoria bike lane following court defeat
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Jan 7, 2026
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Department of Transportation
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Jan 7, 2026
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration is going back to the drawing board on a controversial bike lane project on 31st Street in Astoria, Queens.
In a press release, the Department of Transportation said it would restart the planning process for a redesign of the dangerous road in response to a judge’s ruling blocking the previous version of the project. The city will also appeal the decision.
“Enough is enough. My administration is restarting the 31st Street Redesign because New Yorkers shouldn’t be forced to go out of their way because our roads are too dangerous,” Mamdani wrote in a statement.
The road is in a district that Mamdani represented as a state assemblymember. In the release, Mamdani said he makes a point to avoid 31st Street because it isn’t safe for pedestrians, cyclists or drivers.
Several businesses and a local school sued the city to halt the bike lane, which the city had begun installing. The groups argued it would be dangerous for students in the area, as well as emergency responders, and make it difficult for delivery trucks.
Last month, a judge sided with the plaintiffs and ruled that the city failed to consult with several city agencies as required. Judge Chereé Buggs wrote that the transportation department "did not meaningfully reconcile its plan" with the FDNY, which had raised concerns about how ladder trucks would be hindered by the redesign.
In response to the ruling, Mamdani’s transportation department will meet with the agencies.
The Department of Transportation argued that 31st Street is one of Queens' most dangerous roadways.
During his first week in office, Mamdani has also revived the original design of the McGuinness Boulevard bike lane in Greenpoint and fixed a pesky bump cyclists face coming off the Williamsburg Bridge in Manhattan.
Calls to several businesses that sued the city to halt the bike lane were not returned.
A spokesperson for the city’s Law Department said the agency had no further comment.
Tagged
queens
transportation
Stephen Nessen
Stephen Nessen covers transportation. Since 2008 he has reported on everything from Occupy Wall Street, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Hurricane Sandy, to Trump’s campaign for president. His transportation reporting has taken him everywhere from the MTA’s secret Rail Control Center to the gleaming subways of Seoul. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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