The Queensboro Bridge will finally have separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians, starting this weekend. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced that the bridge’s north outer roadway is now a dedicated bike lane and the south outer roadway, a pedestrian-only path. Originally announced in 2021, the project was expected to open in March, but was abruptly delayed by the mayor, who required a “full briefing” before the path could open, as Streetsblog reported.
“For over 100 years, the Queensboro Bridge has safely connected New Yorkers driving, riding, and walking between Manhattan and Queens, all while offering breathtaking views of the greatest city in the world. Now, our administration will make it even easier and safer to do so,” Adams said.
“The more we make it safe to walk and bike, the more people utilize their bikes, and thanks to new cycling infrastructure in communities near the bridge, more and more pedestrians and cyclists are utilizing the Queensboro Bridge.”
Previously, pedestrians and cyclists shared a single lane on the bridge, the city’s second-busiest East River crossing, leading to overcrowding and safety concerns as usage steadily increased. Over 2,785 pedestrians and 7,568 cyclists travel across the bridge each day, according to a press release.
Since 2013, the south outer roadway has been closed between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. following multiple overnight crashes. According to a DOT analysis, current traffic patterns and key signal timing adjustments have sufficiently managed the increased traffic during the limited hours when the south outer roadway is open to vehicles.
The Queensboro is now the third city bridge over the East and Harlem Rivers to receive expanded bike and pedestrian infrastructure in recent years.
The bike-only lane for the Queensboro was first announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2021 as part of his “Bridges for the People” plan, which included a protected bike lane on the Brooklyn Bridge. While the Brooklyn Bridge path opened in 2021, the Queensboro Bridge was undergoing rehabilitation, and the project was delayed.
The paths were originally scheduled to open on March 16, but the launch was unexpectedly delayed by Mayor Adams. A City Hall spokesperson, Amaris Cockfield, told Streetsblog that the mayor required a “full briefing” before the paths could open, even though he had championed the project for years.
“Nothing has been delayed, and anyone saying otherwise is either lying or lacks a basic understanding of how city government works,” Cockfield said.
“This is a massive project proposed by the previous administration, and since it will impact the commutes of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers across two boroughs, Mayor Adams requires a full briefing on how the DOT plans to roll this out smoothly and ensure New Yorkers can continue to get to where they need to go efficiently.”
Cyclists and pedestrians also gained more space on MTA bridges this week. The agency announced the completion of fully accessible bike and pedestrian paths on the Triborough Bridge segments connecting Randall’s Island to the Bronx and East Harlem.
The upgrades make the 89-year-old bridge fully bike-friendly for the first time. New ramps on Randall’s Island and in the Bronx replace outdated access points that forced cyclists to navigate narrow turns to reach the crossing, as reported by Gothamist.
MTA officials say they intend to upgrade the path between Randall’s Island and Queens by 2027. The agency has also opened a new ramp connecting the bike lane to the East River Greenway in East Harlem once the city renovates the decrepit path.
The MTA also celebrated the opening of a new bike and pedestrian path on the Henry Hudson Bridge, which connects Spuyten Duyvil and Inwood Hill Park, and a new ramp that completes the path across the Cross Bay Bridge, which connects Broad Channel to the Rockaways.
“While transit remains the go-to method of travel for New Yorkers, there’s been tremendous growth in the use of bikes and scooters to get around,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “This trend gives the MTA an opportunity to extend the transit system’s reach deeper into communities that may not have a train station nearby, especially in the outer reaches of the five boroughs and in the suburbs.”
Several other city bridges have also seen upgrades in recent years. In February 2023, a new pedestrian and bike path debuted on the north side of the George Washington Bridge. The project included widening approach paths, bigger entry plazas, and removing stairs that were inaccessible to cyclists and users with mobility challenges.
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