Updated Park Avenue redesign plans unveiled following community feedback
The plan to redesign a stretch of Park Avenue has changed a bit based on community feedback.
The idea is to transform the medians of Park Avenue from 46th-57th streets into a space that's friendlier for pedestrians and cyclists. That'll be accomplished by expanding the median by taking over one northbound and southbound traffic lane in the corridor. Where there are now three traffic lanes in both directions in that area, there will be two once the redesign is concluded.
The design includes seating areas for pedestrians as well, and incorporates community feedback received after the first design was unveiled by shifting the location of a two-way bike lane to where the southbound traffic lane had been.
"This updated design puts more space where it belongs: in the hands of New Yorkers. By expanding our medians, adding greenery and seating and creating a dedicated protected bike connection, we are making Park Avenue safer and more beautiful for everyone who uses it," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
"Building on feedback from the community, this final design converts underused median space into vibrant public space while incorporating a dedicated, world-class bike connection that lays the foundation for future bike network upgrades in East Midtown," DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn said.
"The redesign of Park Avenue has been shaped by New Yorkers, for New Yorkers," Rep. Jerrold Nadler said. "As more people turn to biking and walking as cleaner, more effective modes of transportation, we must continue updating our infrastructure to keep our riders and pedestrians safe."
"Today marks an important step toward transforming Park Avenue into a world-class boulevard that works for people, not just cars," Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said.
The redesign is taking place while the MTA reconstructs the Grand Central Train Shed, which is directly below the stretch of Park Avenue that'll be part of the redesign. The roof of the train shed is more than 100 years old, and as it gets repaired, the medians that sit on top of it will be widened.