New York City has unveiled two design concepts to redesign Park Avenue between East 46th Street and East 57th Street in Midtown East, Manhattan. Led by NYC DOT in coordination with the MTA, the proposal would expand the avenue’s medians, add pedestrian space, seating, landscaping, and potential bike infrastructure along the 11-block corridor.
The redesign would remove one travel lane in each direction to create wider medians with new planters, seating areas, pedestrian pathways, and crosswalks connecting the thoroughfares. A typical concept could also include a north-south bike lane, with final bike improvements still under review as part of the city’s broader cycling network.
The above diagram details the plan without bike lanes, while the second previews the design with the lanes included. Both show the paths taking a meandering route through raised planter beds with trees, shrubbery, and flowers. A series of sculptures is also highlighted within the landscaping.
Design concept for Park Avenue redesign, via NYC.
The effort is being coordinated with the MTA’s rehabilitation of the Grand Central Terminal train shed below Park Avenue. As Metro-North replaces and waterproofs the structure beneath the roadway, the city is planning public realm improvements above it. The planning process is funded through the East Midtown Governing Group, which was created through the 2017 Greater East Midtown rezoning.
“With this new redesign, we are putting the ‘Park’ back into Park Avenue and upgrading Midtown Manhattan by providing residents and visitors alike with more usable public space,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
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The 1st option looks nice and lush!
As a cyclist, I say do away with the bike lane ! Option 1 is by far the better Park Ave option.
Yes
Not having bike lanes doesn’t make bikes go away. Like cars, they exist and some sort of accommodation is better than the current free for all. Amsterdam used to have no bike lanes, and now without them would be unthinkable.
No kidding. Bikers avoid Park Ave there is no reason for bike lanes on Park Avenue option 01 is the clear winner. I bike to work every day,
Bike Lanes are an accident waiting to happen..
Yes
Streets are a crash waiting to happen.
100% the first.
Why so much concrete? There should be more grass and trees.
I’m assuming the grey is probably hex pavers, or at least pavers of some kind, not poured concrete.
It’s a city. Not a forest.
So much concrete and so little greenspace. Ridiculous. Actually looks better as is than with this proposed garbage.
I’m assuming the grey is probably hex pavers, or at least pavers of some kind, not poured concrete.
I lived in Istanbul for 4 years immediately adjacent to one of its grand boulevards. There was ample seating that was used regularly. However I worry that in NYC more seating will mean more homeless folks camping out.
A better idea would be to keep the medians as is and widen the sidewalks on both sides of Park Ave. This would help generate more foot traffic to retail and restaurants along the avenue.
The medians used to be wide, so there is an historic precedent for why they are wanting to restore that space. Park’s sidewalks seem wide enough as is. Anyways, as much as I don’t like them because they throw off the sidewalk “line”, the renderings suggest they are planning on some blocks having bulbouts which would in effect make those sidewalks wider.
I think they should block off the cross streets and fully connect the park.
On paper a noble idea. In reality a traffic folly and major safety no-no.
Effectively cutting off the east side of Manhattan from the west? I don’t think that’s not a very good idea even if principled.
We already have the Hudson River Greenway and the East River Greenway (which could be better) to go north to south with very few intersections.
Great plan but NYC can not afford this at this time
I’m an avid bicyclist. NO bike lane in the center.
Bike lanes, with an army of food deliveries, are now a must. Go with the first design, but push back the planter 6 feet with a raised one-way bike lane on both sides. This will be more subtle and usable. Get rid of the left turn traffic lanes that cut into the median. Planters will need to be tall so big trees can grow above the tunnels below. The pedestrian path is probably wider than it needs to be allowing for more planting area. Tweaking is the key here.
I would hope that they can also cure the poor drainage along Park Avenue, where the puddles at crossings during rainstorms (and following snowstorms) are epic – huge in span and DEEP!
I’m partial to the first design without the bike lane and I think the turning bays are a great idea but only if turning signals are added and light timing is adjusted.
As it is now, there are no turning signals on Park Ave which causes cars turning left to create traffic as they all get stuck waiting for oncoming traffic to stop. Also in many cases, cars will simply run the red light at an intersection just to make the left while there is no oncoming traffic which is super dangerous.
Park Avenue has lost some of its “park” over the years. The early images with a serpentine path and benches are likely familiar to many here. Then the street was made three lanes in each direction with the space taken out of the islands.
I can image persons trying to cross Park Avenue having difficulty passing through the bike lane. Typically, cyclist do not follow the same traffic rules as cars. The first design would be safer.
IT LOOKS NICE BUT SHOULD BE MORE REAL RATHER THAN A SKETCH… LOVE EVERYONE INPUT AND SOME MAKES ME LAUGH… THE THING IS THAT WE ALL DIFFERENT WITH DIFFERENT OPIONS BUT INCLUSIVITY IS THE KEY… SOMEONE SAYS TOO MUCH SEATING MIGHT CREATE MORE SEATING FOR THE HOMELESS… WELL WE NEED THE FIND A SOLUTIONS FOR THE HOMELESSNESS… NOBODY WANTS A HOMELESS SHELTER ON THEIR STREETS….THAT IS CALL SELFISHNESS…. SOMEONE SAYS NO BIKE LANES… WE ARE PROMOTING MORE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND LESS CARS…SO HOW WE SUPPOSED TO GET RID OF BIKE LANE… IN AMSTERDAM THE WHOLE CITY FAMILIES HAS AT LEAST TWO BIKES… BETTER THAN WALKING OR TAKING BUS OR CARS…. WE SHOULD PLAN WITH EVERYONE IN MIND,.,. WE ARE ALL IN THIS WORLD WITH EACH OTHER.. CARING AND SHARING…APPRECIATE THE POOR AND RICH FOLKS… ONE CITY… ONE GOAL… BETTER LIFE FOR ALL…
shhhh its a concept buddy relax they dont know where all the floor drains are gonna go yet ok? Sorry you dont know how design works. It’ll be ok I promise.
Bike lanes do not belong in a pedestrian zone. They belong on the street with the cars.
Yes to the bike lane but the park should be at least one more lane wider to pake room for everyone. Also I know there is not enough room for deep planting at street level but couldn’t we using raised tree beds?
Homeless people will all over Park Avenue. Good plan. Should stimulate tge consciences of tge people in the executive suites.