Brooklyn Bridge to get separate bike and pedestrian entrances in Manhattan
The Brooklyn Bridge bike lane when it opened in 2021. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
New York City this week launched another new street safety project ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer. Starting in April, the city will fully separate the cyclist and pedestrian entrances to the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan for the first time, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday. Dedicated cyclist and pedestrian entrances from Centre Street and Park Row will allow bike riders to access the bridge without cutting through crowds. Slated for completion in June, the redesign will also convert a left-turn bay on Centre Street between Chambers Street and the bridge entrance into a two-way protected bike lane.
The DOT first proposed the plan in September 2024 under former Mayor Eric Adams, but it was never implemented, according to Streetsblog.
A protected bike lane installed in 2021 at the bridge’s approach has become a popular route, nearly doubling daily rides from 2,652 in 2021 to 5,625 in 2025. The new plan aims to fix a key oversight: cyclists currently must make a tight turn into pedestrian traffic as they exit the lane from the bridge.
At Friday’s press conference announcing the project, Mamdani emphasized both the safety benefits and enhancements to the iconic bridge.
“This is an experience that too many New Yorkers have had when they’re looking to take the healthiest way to cross this bridge—one that comes at the expense of their peace of mind, sanity, and sometimes their safety,” Mamdani said.
“Today, we are meeting that challenge and delivering for New Yorkers to ensure that this continues to be a bridge that we can not only take in as a stunning view, but also one that we can easily and seamlessly cross,” he added.
The project is expected to be completed before the July tournament, joining a series of similar street safety improvements that the city has undertaken to better accommodate the projected surge of visitors this summer.
On Thursday, DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn announced work in Noho, the East Village, and Union Square to create a continuous north-south bike connection from the Brooklyn Bridge to Astor Place and Union Square, with the most significant upgrades set to be finished before the tournament.
Last week, the DOT announced a redesign of West 34th to West 50th Streets along Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, a notoriously congested stretch expected to see even more sidewalk overcrowding in July. The project will expand pedestrian space, widen the protected bike lane, and extend and repaint the bus lane to 50th Street.
“As we prepare for millions of visitors this summer for the World Cup, New Yorkers can expect a number of permanent improvements to our streetscapes that will make our streets safer and more accessible long after the tournament ends,” Maya Handa, the city’s World Cup Czar, said in a press release.
“Our goal is to ensure that whether it’s through improved streets or neighborhood activations throughout the summer, all New Yorkers benefit from the World Cup.”
The initiative is also part of a broader push by Mamdani to revive street safety projects delayed or shelved under Adams. In January, Mamdani announced the DOT would move forward with its original plan to install protected bike lanes along Greenpoint’s McGuinness Boulevard, a proposal previously scaled back amid allegations of bribery.
He has also restarted the redesign of Astoria’s 31st Street to add a partially protected bike lane and will move ahead with a long-delayed plan to give buses a dedicated lane along Madison Avenue from 23rd to 42nd Streets.
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