Midtown Community Boards Demand Enhanced Park Avenue Redesign for Pedestrians and Cyclists

TITLE: Midtown Community Boards Demand Enhanced Park Avenue Redesign for Pedestrians and Cyclists
SLUG: midtown-community-boards-demand-enhanced-park-avenue-redesign-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists
EXCERPT: Two Manhattan community boards have voted to urge the Department of Transportation to go beyond its current Park Avenue redesign proposals, advocating for dedicated, protected spaces for both pedestrians and cyclists.
CATEGORY: public-realm
TAGS: Park Avenue, urban planning, New York City, pedestrian space, cycling infrastructure, community boards, Department of Transportation
SEO_TITLE: Park Avenue Redesign: Midtown Boards Call for More Pedestrian and Cycle Space
SEO_DESCRIPTION: Manhattan Community Boards 5 and 6 have passed resolutions calling for an expanded Park Avenue redesign that prioritises both pedestrian plazas and protected bike lanes, rejecting the DOT’s proposed trade-offs.
MEDIA_QUERY: Park Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, aerial view, streetscape
IMAGE_ALT: An aerial view of Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, showing its current configuration with traffic lanes and medians.

The push to reimagine Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan as a space for people rather than primarily cars has gained significant momentum, with two influential community boards demanding a more ambitious redesign than currently proposed by the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT). Manhattan Community Board 5 (CB5) and Manhattan Community Board 6 (CB6) have both passed resolutions calling for the DOT to incorporate a protected bike lane alongside an expanded pedestrian median, rejecting the notion that these two uses must be mutually exclusive.

A People-Centric Vision

The proposed redesign of Park Avenue, a project that has been discussed since 2017 and re-emerged on the DOT’s agenda in 2022, aims to enhance the street’s central median to create more public space. However, the DOT’s presented options have drawn criticism for retaining a significant number of traffic lanes, leading to concerns that the “park” aspect of Park Avenue is being compromised.

On June 11, CB5 overwhelmingly voted 36-1 in favour of supporting the DOT’s “put the park back in Park Avenue” concept while simultaneously demanding that a vehicle lane in each direction be repurposed for bike lanes. This resolution effectively seeks to grant pedestrians full use of a widened median while providing cyclists with dedicated, protected space. The previous night, CB6, representing a neighbouring stretch of Park Avenue, also voiced strong support, passing a resolution 28-6 that urged the DOT to integrate a bike lane within the roadbed to truly design the avenue for people.

Key facts

A Trade-off Rejected

Samir Lavingia, second vice chair of CB5, articulated the community’s stance, stating that the board did not accept the framing of the DOT’s options as a trade-off between pedestrian space and bike lanes. “You could have pedestrian and green space, or you could have a bike lane,” Lavingia said, speaking in his personal capacity. “This resolution is meant to say we don’t accept those options, there are options to have it all. There is plenty of space available if we are able to look outside of the medians and look at the space cars are using as well.” This sentiment highlights a desire to reclaim space currently dominated by vehicular traffic.

The DOT’s plans involve widening the median between 46th and 57th streets, a section where the MTA will be undertaking structural work. This presents a “once-in-a-lifetime chance,” as noted by cycling advocates, to create a significant people-centric corridor. Currently, the East Side of Manhattan between 26th and 58th streets lacks protected bike lanes west of Second Avenue and east of Sixth Avenue, making Park Avenue a potentially crucial link in a more robust cycling network. The absence of a bus route on this particular stretch of Park Avenue further simplifies the potential for transformative street design changes.

Historical Echoes and Future Aspirations

The current movement to reclaim Park Avenue for pedestrians echoes its past. Over a century ago, before its expansion to accommodate automobiles, Park Avenue’s wide median was a celebrated destination for promenaders and a significant New York attraction. This historical precedent is a key motivator for advocates like Alex Duncan, known online as Reddit moderator Miser, who has championed an expanded vision for Park Avenue. Duncan’s proposal includes not only a bike lane but also widening the median by an additional car lane on each side to allow for more greenery and to reduce cross-town traffic conflicts.

CB5’s resolution also extended its call to action to nearby Fifth Avenue, where the DOT is planning a redesign in conjunction with the Fifth Avenue Association, a business improvement district. Despite the BID’s initial reservations about incorporating a bike lane, CB5 is advocating for its inclusion to facilitate safe cycling from Marcus Garvey Park to Washington Square Park. Lavingia expressed the vision for a continuous north-south bike lane in Manhattan, allowing cyclists to travel unimpeded by frequent turns or street changes.

The DOT has indicated that it will “review the resolution,” leaving the next steps for the Park Avenue redesign and the community’s demands to be determined. The project’s evolution, from its initial conception to its current phase of public engagement, underscores the ongoing dialogue between city planners, residents, and advocates striving to shape urban spaces for a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Source: Streetsblog NYC https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/06/16/please-sir-midtown-residents-want-more-car-free-space-on-park-ave-than-dot-is-offering