New York Construction Report staff writer
The first phase of safety upgrades to Manhattan’s 10th Avenue between West 38th Street and West 52nd Street in Hell’s Kitchen with a 10-foot-wide northbound bicycle lane, concrete pedestrian islands and redesigned intersections to slow turning vehicles.
“The 10th Avenue redesign proves that when we reimagine our streets to be safer for cyclists and pedestrians, all road users see the benefits,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement. “This project brings essential safety upgrades to Hell’s Kitchen and represents just one way we are upgrading our infrastructure to support legal micromobility options. We thank the elected officials — especially Councilmember Bottcher — and the advocates for their partnership in making this happen.”
The new, extra-wide bike lane and other cycling safety improvements on 10th Avenue deliver on commitments in Mayor Adams’ “Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City’s Electric Micromobility Action Plan.” Released in March 2023, the plan highlights the importance of adapting street designs to accommodate the growth of e-bikes and other micromobility devices on city streets.
DOT widened the proposed bike lane to 10 feet for most of the project, to keep a three-foot buffered space between parked cars and the bike lane, and quadrupled the original number of pedestrian islands included in the project. DOT continues to develop wider lane designs for projects across the city.
DOT plans to launch the second phase of this project — from West 14th Street to West 38th Street — with a similar design in 2024.
“HYHK has supported a bike lane on 10th Avenue for many years as a way to connect the far West Side with the existing bike network in the neighborhoods of Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Midtown, and beyond,” said Robert J. Benfatto, president, Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen (HYHK) Alliance. “Transit infrastructure, such as dedicated bike lanes, allows bikers safer access to city streets. We also love the opportunity for additional greenery the bike lane has created in areas of the district where there was none.
“We look forward to working with the community to advocate for future bike corridors on the West Side.”
