Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycling

Efforts to Close East River Greenway Gap Advance With Feasibility Study

New York took a step forward today in attempts to close the 22 block gap in the East River Esplanade, which forces cyclists into traffic in the ultra-congested heart of Midtown and deprives East Side communities of valuable riverfront open space. Thanks to state and federal funding, including an earmark from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, the New York City Economic Development Corporation put out a request for a feasibility study looking at how to build a greenway along the East River between 38th and 60th Streets.

Building that continuous route would create a long-missing trunk for north-south bike travel along the East Side of Manhattan. The continuous greenway along the West Side is the busiest bike path in the country, and riders from the East Side will go out of their way to use it instead of biking on Manhattan's wide avenues.

The study covers a variety of topics, from a broad conceptual design to the integration of the bikeway with the street network and from structural engineering to cost estimation. While the study moves the project forward, a completed greenway on the East Side remains years away. The RFP says that the contract for the feasibility study alone would last two years.

Today's announcement won plaudits from every elected official in the area.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Will Indicted Mayor Adams’s Bid to Eliminate Parking Mandates Survive Council Review?

As the City Council review proccess begins, experts say it is crucial to keep getting rid of parking mandates in the City of Yes.

October 3, 2024

Room for Improvement: What New York’s Subway System Can Learn from Cities Around the World

New York’s subway was once an international model of modernity. But it's not anymore.

October 3, 2024

Stop Making Sense: TWU’s Head-Scratching Opposition to Congestion Pricing Doesn’t Add Up

Thanks in part to union sabotage, New Yorkers are staring into an abyss of impoverished transit.

October 3, 2024

Subway Elevators are Not Just a Nice Lift, But a Basic Civil Right

Accessibility is a must-have as cities compete to attract visitors and retain residents.

October 3, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Apples and Honey and Game 3 Edition

Sure, the Mets didn't win on Rosh Hashanah, but did we ever tell you about our favorite Mets-Rosh Hashanah story? Plus other news.

October 3, 2024
See all posts