Bicycle Infrastructure

Eyes on the Street: DOT Preps Park Row for New Bike Connection and Sidewalk Expansion

The project will improve Brooklyn Bridge access and create safe, convenient options for bike trips that pass under the bridge in Lower Manhattan.

By Brad Aaron

2:50 PM EDT on April 18, 2018

Eyes on the Street: DOT Preps Park Row for New Bike Connection and Sidewalk Expansion

A bi-directional bikeway and added sidewalk space are coming to Park Row in Chinatown, restoring public access after years of post-9/11 restrictions. Photos: Noel Hidalgo

Work has started on the new bikeway and sidewalk expansion on Park Row in Chinatown.

After 9/11, NYPD prohibited general motor vehicle traffic on Park Row, which is close to the agency’s headquarters at 1 Police Plaza. NYPD checkpoints made it inhospitable for walking and biking.

For years local residents and businesses have called on the city to loosen restrictions on public access. Last summer there was finally a breakthrough as DOT announced plans for a two-way bike lane and 10,000 square feet of painted sidewalk space between Worth Street and Frankfort Street [PDF].

With temperatures (slowly) rising, DOT crews are getting started on this year’s bike projects, and it looks like the Park Row redesign will be among the first batch. Noel Hidalgo has been tracking the early progress on Twitter.

Here’s a look at the old markings getting removed yesterday:

https://twitter.com/noneck/status/986253306828918784

And here’s some prep work from earlier today:

https://twitter.com/noneck/status/986601092682321921

When complete, the project will be a major improvement for north-south bike trips passing under the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as a boon for bridge access from Chinatown. Some tour bus companies may be allowed to use the street, but private vehicle traffic will otherwise remain prohibited.

Rendering of the completed project, via City Hall, showing the bike lane lined with NYPD vehicles.

park_row_frankfort — The Park Row bikeway will connect to the Brooklyn Bridge via a two-way segment on Frankfort Street. Image: NYC DOT

Painted bike lanes on Frankfort and Dover will connect southbound cyclists from Park Row to Lower Manhattan and the waterfront. Image: NYC DOT

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

Bicycle Infrastructure | Bicycling | Brooklyn Bridge | Chinatown | DOT

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