New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Saturday announced that the city will complete the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint to include protected bike lanes, a move that reverses a controversial decision from the previous administration.
McGuinness Boulevard, a major vehicular and cycling connection between Brooklyn and Queens, will now have parking-protected bike lanes and traffic calming measures throughout the entire corridor, extending the existing parking-protected lanes running between Meeker and Calyer Streets northbound up to the Pulaski Bridge, officials said.
Upon completion, McGuinness Boulevard will feature one travel lane in each direction, one parking-protected bike lane in each direction, and one vehicular parking and loading lane in each direction.
“New Yorkers deserve to be safe no matter how they commute — whether they bike, walk or drive," Mamdani said in a statement. "That’s why, as one of my first acts as mayor, my administration is committing to restarting implementation of parking-protected bike lanes on McGuinness Boulevard and complete its redesign. New Yorkers deserve an administration that gets right to work to deliver genuine street safety.”
The announcement attracted dozens of local officials and community members, many who were upset to find out last year that the planned redesign was stalled when Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a longtime confidant of former Mayor Eric Adams, allegedly received bribes from a local business owner who did not like the plan.
Lewis-Martin was indicted in August after she allegedly took bribes from Gina Argento and Anthony Argento, the owners of Broadway Stages, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The Argentos allegedly gave thousands of dollars to Lewis-Martin, as well as acting roles, to stall the DOT project, according to the indictment.
City officials and transportation advocates said the redesign will bring a host of safety benefits for all New Yorkers, including pedestrians and drivers, by shortening crossing distances, calming turning vehicles, and reducing reckless driving behavior. Similar designs across the city have been shown to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries by 30%, they said.
“McGuinness Boulevard has divided Greenpoint, hurt our community, and killed our neighbors for 70 years,” said Bronwyn Breitner, coordinator for Make McGuinness Safe. “Parents and students have been organizing to make McGuinness safe for five years since the death of Matthew Jensen. With today’s announcement, New York City will finally deliver the McGuinness Boulevard our children deserve, and we will keep fighting to ensure the upcoming capital plan meets the moment and need here in Greenpoint.”
Matthew Jensen, 58, was killed in a hit and run crash while crossing McGuinness Boulevard on May 18, 2021. He was a Brooklyn resident and a teacher at local elementary school P.S.110.
