NYC completes long-awaited redesign of McGuinness Boulevard
Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr
After decades of advocacy and numerous traffic-related fatalities and injuries, the redesign of Greenpoint’s McGuinness Boulevard is finally complete. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced the completion of the project, which added parking-protected bike lanes along the corridor from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge, shorter pedestrian crossings, and other street-safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Work began in May, marking a major turning point for a project that was scaled back under former Mayor Eric Adams amid allegations of bribery involving a prominent local film production company.
One of the most heavily traveled corridors and cycling connections between Brooklyn and Queens, McGuinness Boulevard sees more than 4,000 daily cyclists during the summer months. For decades, the roadway has been known for its dangerous conditions, prompting advocates to call for additional safety measures.
Despite consistent outcry, calls for change went unanswered until former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration in 2021 committed $39 million in capital funding for a full overhaul of the corridor. The newfound support was inspired by the hit-and-run death of a teacher, Matthew Jensen.
As the project got underway near the end of de Blasio’s tenure, its redesign was left to his successor, Mayor Eric Adams. In the meantime, the city installed several short-term safety measures, including a new crosswalk at Bayard Street, where Jensen was killed, and shorter traffic light cycles at night, according to the Brooklyn Paper.
In 2023, Adams’ DOT announced a “road diet” plan that would remove a traffic lane and add protected bike lanes in each direction, a welcomed change to street safety advocates.
However, following pushback from some local residents and elected officials, Adams scaled back the original design in August 2024. Among the most vocal critics was a prominent Greenpoint film production company owned by the Argento family, who had donated to Adams and argued that the plan would exacerbate congestion and harm local businesses.
The motive behind the stunning reversal was revealed in August 2025, when Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Ingrid Lewis-Martin, former chief adviser to Adams, of bribery.
According to the allegations, Lewis-Martin accepted $2,500 in cash, free catering at Gracie Mansion valued at $10,000, and a brief appearance on the television show “Godfather of Harlem” in exchange for allegedly using her influence to alter the McGuinness Boulevard redesign on behalf of the Argentos, as 6sqft previously reported. The case is ongoing, as 6sqft previously reported.
Mamdani first made clear his intention to complete the original redesign while on the campaign trail in August 2025. He framed the move as a rebuke of Adams’ willingness to prioritize “moneyed interests” over public safety.
In January, less than a week into his tenure as mayor, Mamdani officially announced that the DOT would move forward with the plan later in the year, when the “weather warmed.” The announcement marked the first major street-safety project under his administration.
During Friday’s press conference, Mamdani pointed to the many obstacles that had stood in the way of completing the project, including opposition from moneyed interests. He also credited Greenpoint residents for their steadfast advocacy.
“They organized on weekends and early in the morning before work,” Mamdani said. “During summers under the scorching sun and in the winter when the cold numbed their fingers and toes. They kept on believing that change would one day come.”
“Even after the administration that came before ours paused the McGuinness redesign that every elected official here today had fought for,” he added. “Even as the long pattern of wealthy interests, trumping those of working people in this neighborhood, repeated itself over and over. Today, that belief is finally vindicated. My friends, we have completed the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard.”
“Cyclists will no longer have to take detours or panic each time they turn onto this road, because they will be safe as they pedal,” Mamdani said. “Parents will be able to let their children out of the house to play without worrying. Families will be able to carry groceries across the street without fearing that they’re taking their lives into their hands.”
“And most importantly, the endless cycle of death and grief that has defined this street for decades will finally come to a close.”
John Ogren, Jensen’s cousin, appeared at Friday’s press conference to celebrate the transformative impact of the redesign and honor Matthew’s memory. In an emotional moment, Ogren recalled learning of the crash and described how Matthew was thrown “75 feet” upon impact. He then pulled out a pair of his cousin’s house keys, which had been bent by the force of the collision.
“Now, our elected servant leaders have been tasked with keeping us safe. We have concerns, we look for solutions, about quality of life,” Ogren said. “We don’t want people to live in fear for loved ones, for children, for self. We don’t want people cowering in their homes in these wonderful neighborhoods for fear that a car might hit ya, or ICE might get ya.”
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