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

NYS DOT and NYPD Security Overkill Could Destroy the Hudson River Greenway

Will the replacements for the obtrusive barriers installed on the greenway last fall leave sufficient room for cyclists and runners to pass safely? Photo copyright Shmuli Evers, used with permission.

The New York State DOT and NYPD could be preparing to mess up the Hudson River Greenway for a long time to come.

After last October's vehicular attack, NYS DOT installed jersey barriers at 31 locations where motor vehicles cross the greenway. At 26 pedestrian-only crossings, NYPD put down concrete "sugar cubes."

The greenway overflows with people during the summer months, and the heavy-duty barriers installed by NYS DOT and NYPD will only exacerbate the crowding problem. The barriers are meant to be temporary, but as the weather warms and greenway usage climbs, they're still there.

In March, NYS DOT indicated it plans to replace the barriers with less obtrusive security measures, with construction set to start this summer and wrap sometime in 2019.

The exact design of the new barriers remains under wraps. But it seems NYS DOT, at the behest of NYPD and the federal Department of Homeland Security, may install bollards with insufficient room between them to accommodate greenway traffic.

In a letter to Governor Cuomo, Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Paul White called on NYS DOT to ensure that the bollards' placement leaves enough room for cyclists and joggers to pass. Standards for shared-use paths set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recommend at least five feet between bollards, but sources who are keeping tabs on the project say NYS DOT plans to leave a clearance of only four feet.

"We are concerned that any long-term plan for hardening the greenway will endanger bicyclists and pedestrians if the permanent barricades or bollards used are spaced too closely together," White wrote. "We believe there is a way to insulate the path's users from the risk posed by motorized vehicles without increasing the risk of injury to greenway users, or ensuing litigation against the greenway's designers."

The existing barriers "created a crude, short-term solution" and should be replaced with "immediate short-term fixes" before summer, said White.

The TransAlt letter was also sent to Mayor de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill, NYS DOT and DHS officials, and other local electeds.

The process for permanent greenway security measures has been shrouded in secrecy, with no opportunities for public input. “The people who are using the greenway have not had a seat at the table,” TransAlt spokesperson Joe Cutrufo told Streetsblog.

Neither NYPD nor NYS DOT responded to our inquiries about the project. We'll follow this story as it develops.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025

Ex-DOT Official Warns NYC’s ‘Counterproductive’ E-bike Speed Limit Will Curb Biking, Safety

The mayor is working overtime to undo the decade of gains for cycling in the Big Apple, a former de Blasio administration official told Streetsblog.

July 3, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Just the News Edition

Things are slowing down for summer, but not entirely. Here's the news.

July 3, 2025

DOT Boss Defends Adams’s ‘Vision Zero’ Record As Agency Fights A Bike Lane in Court

Traffic fatalities are down and the DOT is taking a victory lap — even as it argues against a protected bike lane in court.

July 2, 2025

Cyclist Arrested After Crash with Electric ‘One-wheel’-Style Unicycle

Carolyn Backus is charged with fleeing the scene of a crash causing serious injury, but the details are murky.

Wednesday’s Headlines: Return of Summer Streets Edition

Summer Streets is back and bigger than ever. Plus more news.

July 2, 2025
See all posts