Bike Lane for Park Ave.? DOT Seeks Public Input on New Overhaul
The DOT appears to be considering two versions, one which includes bike lanes, and one which does not. Both would expand pedestrian walkways, removing one lane of traffic in either direction.
| 29 Apr 2026 | 06:41
The Department of Transportation has unveiled two new renderings, one with a bike lane and one without, for its planned overhaul of Park Avenue that would expand pedestrian space. (
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The overhaul would coincide with work being conducted on the Grand Central “train shed” that runs underneath Park Avenue, which has experienced decades of wear and tear. (
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration is advancing a yearslong plan to put the “park” back in Park Avenue, with the NYC Department of Transportation unveiling fresh redesign renderings for an overhaul that would widen an 11-block stretch of the boulevard’s medians into pedestrian walkways.
The project would run between East 46th Street and East 57th Street and would come with pedestrian enhancements and seating, as well as landscaping improvements. Additional features that the city is exploring include potential bike lanes and “innovative streetscape amenities.”
The two new renderings essentially depict a bird’s eye view of what the overhaul could look like; one appears to include two-way bike lanes that would take up part of the project’s expanded pedestrian islands, while the other does not. Both would remove a lane of traffic from Park Ave. in either direction.
“Our city’s public spaces must better serve the public, and my administration has made this a priority through bold infrastructure investments and street redesigns,” Mamdani said in a statement on April 29. “Working together with our partners across the City and State, we will ensure that New York City’s streets are the envy of the world.”
“Whether you’re walking, biking or just looking for a place to sit and take a break, this project is about making Park Avenue work better for you,” DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn said. “We’re turning underused space into something welcoming, functional and vibrant for the people who live, work and spend time on this iconic street.”
The DOT is also conducting public meetings to solicit feedback on the project, such as a Community Board 6 meeting on May 4 and a Community Board 5 meeting on May 28.
Funding for the project is derived from the East Midtown Governing Group, an entity created by the 2017 Greater East Midtown rezoning package.
The overhaul was kicked off under the Eric Adams administration in August 2024, and is envisioned as a complement to ongoing construction work on the the train shed that runs underneath Park Ave. into Grand Central. Mamdani’s new announcement appears to build on that foundation.
The concurrent repair of the “train shed” that leads into Grand Central Terminal advanced last December via two new public-private partnerships with Vornado Realty Trust and JPMorganChase, as reported by Our Town, that total around $75 million combined.
The MTA estimates that the train shed supports 70 square city blocks. However, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said then that it has “been subjected to water, salt, and chemicals for over a hundred years,” describing areas where the concrete is “eroding” and “falling apart.”
Other Manhattan politicians issued statements of praise for the city’s redoubled focus on the Park Ave. redesign project, with Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal noting that he was “thrilled [that] DOT is advancing a redesign of Park Avenue alongside the MTA’s essential work to rehabilitate the train shed beneath Grand Central Terminal.”
“I encourage Manhattanites to participate in DOT’s upcoming public meetings so we can shape the best possible future for Park Avenue together,” he added.