The redesign of Central Park’s six-mile loop road is moving forward, with repaving set to begin next week. On Thursday, city officials announced milling and repaving work will begin on Monday, March 17, to improve the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and e-vehicle users along the route by clearly separating their spaces. The project will begin by revamping the middle and southern sections of the Central Park loop, from 96th Street on the West Drive to 90th Street on the East Drive, with repaving of the northern section scheduled for next year.
The work follows a study published last fall, conducted by the Central Park Conservancy, the Department of Transportation, and the Parks Department.
As part of the project, DOT will create consistent separation across the drives to clearly designate an inner pedestrian lane, improving safety by better separating pedestrians from cyclists and e-vehicle users.
Additionally, DOT will adjust traffic signals and improve signage to encourage cyclists’ compliance, while directing pedestrians toward the historic archways to reduce conflicts on the drives.
DOT will also collaborate with the Conservancy and the Parks Department to expand walking and running space along most sections of the drive, while repurposing the now-defunct vehicle lane as a “flex lane” for cyclists and essential vehicle access.
During the next phase of the project, DOT will reconfigure traffic lights at crosswalks along the drives, replacing standard signals with ones featuring bicycle symbols. At low-traffic crosswalks, these lights may be replaced with “pedestrian crossing” and “active bike lane” warning signs. The final signal designs for medium and high-volume crossings will vary by location.
The Parks Department will work with DOT and the Conservancy to enhance in-park cycling connections by improving the park’s existing bike paths, creating new bike paths along the 86th Street Bridle Path, and better connecting cyclists’ paths to the street grid.
Milling and repaving are expected to take about six weeks, weather permitting, and will occur on weeknights from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. The work will be done in phases, with milling Monday through Wednesday nights and paving on Thursdays and Fridays to avoid leaving any unpaved roads over the weekend.
The drives will remain open during construction, but bikers and pedestrians should be careful when traveling through the milled sections. Restriping of the road and crosswalks will happen after repaving is complete.
“Turning Central Park’s drives into car-free spaces has allowed the city to reimagine how the park loop can best reflect the needs of parkgoers. NYC DOT will be taking advantage of this repaving to prioritize pedestrian safety while also better accommodating cyclists and legal e-mobility options,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said.
“We thank New Yorkers for their patience while we deliver these upgrades to the city’s most iconic park and we appreciate the close partnership with Parks and the Central Park Conservancy.”
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