As World Cup Nears, Mamdani Widens Busy Sixth Avenue Bike Lane

Sixth Avenue, one of the busiest and most popular iconic bike lanes in the city, will almost double in width to ensure safety of bike users ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The project, which was announced May 20 by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn, is set to be completed before the first World Cup match in NY commences June 13. From 14th street to West 31st Street the protected lane will expand from six feet to 10 feet, while the avenue’s bike lane between 31st and 35th Streets (around the Macy’s flagship) will maintain its existing five-foot lane and instead add nine feet of expanded pedestrian walkways through a painted extension. However, the Sixth Avenue project does not extend to Bryant Park nor up to Central Park, additional key hubs for bike traffic.

Currently the bike lane alongside this stretch of Sixth Avenue is a whizzing transportation route for tourists, commuters, and bike deliveristas alike. It is also one of the most dangerous in the city, as one of NYC DOT’s Vision Zero Priority Corridors, which means it has an increased rate of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries per mile. Hoping to combat traffic injuries and deaths, the redesigning of the lanes hopes to ensure less collisions and safer riding side-by-side for bike and e-bike users. Similar bike lane projects have been seen to reduce accidents for riders and pedestrians by around 30 percent, the DOT claims.

In a statement, Mamdani described the project as a protection of all riders, walkers, and drivers in the city, saying “What better way to welcome the World Cup than by making our streets safer and more accessible for everyone who uses them? From Sixth Avenue in Manhattan to Broadway in Queens and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, we’re redesigning our streets to better protect pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. Long after the sun sets on this summer of celebration, these improvements will continue serving New Yorkers every single day.”

Currently, it is unclear if the lane will remain a permanent fixture on the avenue following the World Cup. Additionally the Mayor and Commissioner did not comment on whether the extension of the bike lane will affect the designated car lanes along the avenue.

In 2023, New Yorkers and visitors approximately took 620,000 bicycle trips in total each day. The extended bike lane on Sixth Avenue will seek to meet the needs of added safety and protection for riders prior to a presumed increase in traffic as a result of the World Cup this Summer.

“With a colorful history, Sixth Avenue now hosts one the city’s most popular bike lanes, and it is time we make it even better,” DOT Commissioner Flynn said. “New Yorkers and visitors alike should be able to connect to Manhattan’s major tourist destinations comfortably, whether they are traveling by bike, on foot or by car. Widening this bike lane will make the street safer for everyone and provide a calmer, more comfortable cycling experience by allowing more room for passing.”

More than 1.2 million people are expected to visit the New York/New Jersey area during the eight world cup games being played at Met Life Stadium (redesignated NYNJ Stadium by FIFA during the World Cup).