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

Eyes on the Street: A Safer Biking Connection to the Williamsburg Bridge

The new two-way protected bike lane on South 4th Street, looking east from Roebling Street. Photo: David Meyer

DOT crews have made significant progress this week on a project to improve bike access to the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn [PDF].

Striping and plastic bollards for a two-way bike lane on South 4th Street are now in place. The bike upgrades create a safer connection between Borinquen Place and South 5th Place to the bridge path, improving access for thousands of people every day. The full project, which has yet to be completed, includes a safer eastbound bike connection under the BQE to Grand Street.

Cycling over the Williamsburg Bridge increased 80 percent from 2010 to 2015, and another large surge is expected once L train service across the East River goes out of commission for 15 months starting in April 2019.

The redesign also includes pedestrian improvements at the treacherous intersection of Borinquen, South 4th Street, and Havemeyer Street. The painted outline of a sidewalk extension on the southwest corner of the intersection has already created a shorter crossing for pedestrians.

Photo: David Meyer
Photo: David Meyer
Photo: David Meyer
South 4th Street west of Havemeyer before the redesign. Image: Google Street View
South 4th Street west of Borinquen Place before the redesign. Image: Google Street View
South 4th Street west of Havemeyer before the redesign. Image: Google Street View

DOT is also adding short segments of protected bike lanes on South 5th Place and South 5th Street between Berry Street and the entrance to the bridge, as well as a protected connection under the BQE to Grand Street, all of which are expected to be installed in the coming weeks.

Next year, the agency plans to install a protected bike lane on Delancey Street on the Manhattan side of the bridge.

Photo: Max Sholl
South 4th Street facing east from South 5th Place. The bridge path entrance is out of frame to the right. Photo: Max Sholl
Photo: Max Sholl

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

And the Winner Is…: Streetsblog’s New Video Team Honored with Deadline Club Award

Streetsblog's social media team, led by Engagement Editor Emily Lipstein, received the Deadline Club's award for digital video reporting on Thursday night.

Friday Video: The ‘Clear’ Benefits of Daylighting

The doyen of daylighting is back with a new video.

May 16, 2025

How One Anti-Gov’t Republican Signed onto a Street Safety Bill to Rein in Reckless Drivers

State Sen. Anthony Palumbo went from "government overreach" to reaching across the aisle in a single day.

May 16, 2025

‘All in the Family’: NYPD Commissioner and Power-Broker Mom Are Both Crusading Against E-Bikes

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has justified her criminal crackdown on cycling by saying that complaints about cyclists are the most frequent concerns she hears. Such complaints could be coming from inside the house.

May 16, 2025

Puddles Plague Hudson River Greenway As Rain Batters NYC

Greenway cyclists face dangerous conditions when it rains — as Streetsblog observed this week in Manhattan.

May 16, 2025
See all posts