Images courtesy of NYC DOT
The first round of pedestrian and cyclist safety upgrades along 31st Avenue in Astoria is now complete, with more improvements on the way. On Thursday, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the completion of the first phase of the corridor’s transformation into a bike boulevard, including a new east-west protected bike connection from Vernon Boulevard to Steinway Street that creates a continuous protected route from Astoria to the Queensboro Bridge. The project also expands pedestrian space, upgrades intersections to slow turning vehicles, and adds new public seating.
The street design builds upon the city’s Open Streets initiative by prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist safety with a “shared street” layout that expands pedestrian space and improves connections to existing cycling infrastructure on Crescent Street and along the East River.
A new one-way traffic pattern, a reimagined shared-street design, and over 26,000 square feet of added pedestrian space have revitalized 31st Avenue, making it safer and more welcoming for all New Yorkers. The project also better suits the neighborhood’s needs, where 53 percent of daily trips are done on foot, 34 percent by bike, and just 11 percent by car, according to a press release.
New traffic diversions at intersections reverse the direction of one-way streets to reduce vehicle volumes, noise, and speeding while maintaining local access and parking for residents, deliveries, and pick-ups and drop-offs. Expanded pedestrian space and painted sidewalk extensions shorten crossing distances. Meanwhile, new hardened daylighting tools such as granite blocks and planters enhance the streetscape and improve visibility for all road users.
Additionally, flashing yield signals and stop signs along the avenue encourage drivers and cyclists to follow traffic laws and stay alert. Smaller bike signals are placed at eye level on the nearside corners, making them more visible to cyclists before entering intersections, where most traffic-related incidents occur.
Working alongside the 31st Avenue Open Streets Collective and the Horticultural Society of New York, the DOT has redesigned a two-block stretch of 31st Avenue from 33rd to 35th Streets to support the neighborhood’s beloved open street. The redesign features granite blocks that double as pedestrian seating, along with planters that provide hardened daylighting at intersections while protecting existing pedestrian spaces.
The design allows for an easy transition between regular weekday street operations and the weekend Open Streets program during the warmer months.
Rodriguez praised the new bike boulevard, highlighting its safety benefits and connection to the area’s extensive bike lane network.
“31st Avenue’s innovative redesign as a bike boulevard will help protect pedestrians and cyclists, support Open Street operations, and strengthen connections to the 16.5 lane miles of protected bike lanes, and 21 lane miles of standard bike lanes and shared lanes in the area. Streets are public space, and designs like this show that we can reimagine the use of public space to benefit all road users.”
DOT plans to redesign another half-mile of 31st Avenue between Steinway Street and 51st Street next year, according to Streetsblog. The project responds to Astoria residents’ calls for safer street infrastructure in a neighborhood with high bike usage but limited protected routes.
The project builds on DOT’s ongoing efforts to improve street safety citywide. In June, the agency unveiled a new intersection design that uses hardened daylighting tools such as concrete barriers, planters, and other structures to improve visibility. DOT plans to implement this design at select high-crash intersections, alongside new and existing bike lanes across the city, starting later this year.
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