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

Pedestrians and Cyclists Get Room to Breathe on South Street

The completion of the boardwalk to the left has opened up room for pedestrians and cyclists… Photo: David Meyer

The pace is slow, but the city is making progress on the East River greenway in Lower Manhattan.

The South Street section of the greenway, a project of NYC EDC, has been under construction for the better part of the last decade. Phase one wrapped up between Wall Street and Maiden Lane in 2011, followed by subsequent projects between Wall Street and Broad Street and between Pike Street and Pier 35 that opened in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

For at least the past few years, crews have been working on an esplanade just north of the old Fulton Fish Market, and during construction people walking and biking had to squeeze into a narrow, poorly paved shared path. Now that work has wrapped up, giving people on foot direct access to the waterfront and giving cyclists a smooth, dedicated two-way path.

...while the boardwalk was under construction, people walking and biking had to share this narrow path. Photo: Jon Orcutt
...while the boardwalk was under construction, people walking and biking had to share this narrow path. Photo: Jon Orcutt
...while the boardwalk was under construction, people walking and biking had to share this narrow path. Photo: Jon Orcutt

South of the new promenade, cyclists and pedestrians still share a makeshift path around the old Fulton Fish Market, known as the Tin Building, which is being redeveloped by the Howard Hughes Corp.

Cyclists and pedestrians must share this narrow, unpaved path shoved between construction to the east and a massive parking lot to the west. Photo: David Meyer
Cyclists and pedestrians must share this narrow, unpaved path shoved between construction to the east and a massive parking lot to the west. Photo: David Meyer
Cyclists and pedestrians must share this narrow, unpaved path shoved between construction to the east and a massive parking lot to the west. Photo: David Meyer

Here are some more photos of the new esplanade and unencumbered bike path, courtesy of Streetsblog reader William Farrell:

will-south-street-1
will-south-st-2-1024x768

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Lyft Hoses Citi Bike Riders Compared to Bike-Share in Other Cities: Report

The price of a yearly Citi Bike membership has grown by 77 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars since the bike-share program launched 2013, the Independent Budget Office said.

November 19, 2025

Most People Don’t Drive To Court Street: DOT

And more people bike than drive on the Brooklyn street!

November 19, 2025

DOT Crawls Towards Safe Battery Charging Infrastructure As Fires Rage On

The DOT is once again slow rolling the completion of public charging infrastructure as the city continues to face a battery fire crisis.

November 19, 2025

Report: Biden Infrastructure Bill Spurred Increase in State and Local Highway Spending

The Urban Institute found an overall increase in capital investment in ground transportation — mostly on highways — and flat investment in public transit.

November 19, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: The People v. Yarimi Edition

It was horrific, it was depraved, it was predictable. And it will happen again. Plus other news.

November 19, 2025

Security Blanket: Will NYPD Smother Mamdani’s Love of Transit and Bikes?

Zohran Mamdani likes taking the train and riding a Citi Bike — but the demands of being New York City’s mayor may not be compatible with his transit habit.

November 18, 2025
See all posts