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Manhattan's Third Avenue redesign begins next week with upgrades for bikes, buses, pedestrians
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 17, 2023
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By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 17, 2023
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A nearly 40-block stretch of Third Avenue in Manhattan will be getting a bus-, bike- and pedestrian-friendly makeover beginning next week, the Department of Transportation said Monday.
Two of the five current vehicle travel lanes will be turned into a dedicated bus lane and a parking-protected bike lane along the nearly two-mile segment of Third Avenue between East 59th Street and 96th Street. The project, which the department is calling a “complete street” redesign, aims to improve safety along the historically dangerous section of the corridor where six pedestrians and one cyclist have been killed since 2016, according to the DOT.
“This project will be transformational for Third Avenue, prioritizing the safety and mobility of all New Yorkers,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement Monday. “Building a Complete Street featuring a dedicated bus lane, protected bike lane, and pedestrian islands is about putting people first.”
Already heavily used by delivery cyclists, the busy thoroughfare will be getting a new parking protected bike lane — significantly wider than the typical protected six-foot-wide bike lane in Manhattan. The DOT said the wider bike lane will make cycling conditions more comfortable and safe, and encourage cycling and other forms of micro mobility.
A DOT rendering shows the changes coming to Third Avenue in Manhattan.
Courtesy DOT
According to the DOT, buses on Third Avenue currently travel at an average of 5.4 miles an hour during the morning peak, and 5.2 miles per hour during the evening peak — far slower than the average across the city. A dedicated camera-enforced bus lane will aim to speed those buses up, providing more reliable service for the 50,000 daily riders they serve.
Those on foot are also being prioritized in the redesign — pedestrian islands will improve visibility at intersections and shorten the time it takes to cross the street.
Transportation Alternatives Director Danny Harris said the overhaul of Third Avenue is a welcome and long overdue change, and the city needs to bring similar safety measures to avenues across the city.
“New York City is a city that has a hard time learning from itself. And this is a case where we have a successful complete street on First Avenue and Second Avenue — it only makes sense that it's not only on Third Avenue, but really every avenue across the city,” Harris said. “We need to move beyond the piecemeal approach of one avenue at a time and actually take these projects to every corner of the city so every New Yorker stands to benefit.”
Construction on the redesign project is expected to continue through the rest of the year.
Tagged
manhattan
transportation
Catalina Gonella
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