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

Here’s the latest portrait in Streetsblog’s weekly “Why I Ride” series.

Bike portrait of Ray for Streetsblog by Dmitry Gudkov

If you’ve biked on the Queensboro Bridge in the last couple of years, you have seen the massive reconstruction project underway at Queens Plaza. A few months ago, we saw a brand new bike path leading west from the bridge entrance, and the last few weeks have brought some of the most noticeable changes east of the bridge, including curbs and sidewalks, plantings, and an eastward continuation of the bike path all the way to Northern Boulevard. This means that there is finally a safe way to continue riding east after getting off the bridge.

This is Ray, one of the people behind the construction effort. An engineer with the consulting management firm LiRo Group, Ray is in charge of overseeing the entire Queens Plaza reconstruction. When the job began two years ago, Ray was faced with a dilemma: He needed to personally oversee many parts of the project, but the construction area was so large that he could not effectively get around on foot. So he decided to bring his bike to work. For the last two years, Ray has been able to monitor every aspect of the project by navigating the massive construction site on two wheels. “I couldn’t do this without my bike,” he says. “The site is 1.5 miles around, and I need to make the trip several times a day.”

Ray lives in Wyckoff, NJ and drives in to work. When he’s home, he prefers to get around by bike as much as possible. “Our family and friends all live pretty close by, so my wife and I usually ride our bikes to see them. It’s not as nice as this,” he says, gesturing at the freshly paved and painted bike path, “but it’s less congested there so it feels pretty safe.” The Queens Plaza bike path, part of Phase I of the project, extends from 21st Street to Northern Boulevard, and was finally completed last week. “We pushed really hard to finish the bike lane.” Ray says. “I think it will be great for the community.”

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Just Absurd’: Adams Calls Unsafe McGuinness Blvd. Compromise a ‘Win’ Despite Lewis-Martin Bribery Indictment

The mayor sees no reason to revisit McGuinness even though the safety redesign was tainted by what the Manhattan DA calls a "classic bribery" scheme.

August 22, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Ingrid’s Side Gig Edition

The mayor's former top adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, thought she'd gotten a big acting break. But it was the beginning of the end. Plus other news.

August 22, 2025

‘Classic Bribery’: How a Powerful Brooklyn Family Crashed and Burned Over a Simple Bike Lane

Imagine destroying everything you've spent decades building to stop the city from building a bike lane. Welcome to Gina and Tony Argento's world.

August 22, 2025

Katie Wilson’s Success in Seattle Shows Again that Urbanism Is A Winning Campaign Issue

The advocate's strong early performance in Seattle's mayoral primary — following Zohran Mamdani's similar triumph — shows what you can do when you focus on transit.

August 22, 2025

Friday Video: How to Gear Up For Your Fall Bike Commute

The only must-haves for a cycling commute are a bike and a place you feel safe riding — but a few accessories don't hurt, either.

August 22, 2025

READ IT: The Argentos Bribed Lewis-Martin to Halt McGuinness Bike Lane, DA Says

Two members of a powerful Brooklyn theatrical production family bribed Mayor Adams's chief adviser to block the safety redesign of McGuinness Boulevard, court papers show.

August 21, 2025
See all posts