On his third day in workplace, Mayor Zohran Mamdani introduced that the complete, originally-planned redesign can be applied on McGuinness Boulevard after the challenge was derailed by the Adams administration.
The Division of Transportation — headed by newly-appointed commissioner Mike Flynn — will set up parking-protected bike lanes alongside the northern a part of the boulevard, Mamdani mentioned, from Calyer Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge, and take away one lane of auto site visitors in every path.
“It is a new era for New York City and a new era for New York City DOT,” Flynn mentioned at a press convention at Father Studnizki Sq.. “We said we would hit the ground running and that’s exactly why we’re at McGuinness Boulevard on just the third day of this new administration. For far too long, a critical street safety redesign developed by committed public servants at DOT was set aside, even though the need was clear and the planning work was done.”
Newly-appointed DOT commissioner Mike Flynn mentioned it was the beginning of a ‘new era’ for town and for DOT. Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell
The upgrades will make it simpler for pedestrians to cross the road, shield cyclists, and scale back reckless driving, Flynn mentioned.
An analogous design has already been applied on the southern half of the roadway, from Meeker Avenue to Calyer Avenue. Development will start “as soon as the weather warms,” Mamdani mentioned on Saturday.
“New Yorkers deserve to be safe no matter how they commute — whether they bike, walk, or drive. 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,” Mamdani mentioned in a press release. “New Yorkers deserve an administration that gets right to work to deliver genuine street safety.”
The 1.5 mile boulevard is infamously harmful for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, and has seen dozens of crashes over the previous 5 years.
McGuinness Boulevard on the nook of Greenpoint Avenue in August 2025. The northern half of the boulevard at present has two lanes of auto site visitors and a partially-protected bike lane. File photograph by Kirstyn Brendlen
Then-mayor Invoice De Blasio pledged to rework the boulevard in 2021, after public faculty instructor Matthew Jensen was killed in a hit-and-run. Two years later, DOT permitted a sweeping redesign, which was promptly squashed by then-mayor Eric Adams. After one other 12 months of tug-of-war, town opted to put in a partial redesign on the southern half of the boulevard, leaving the northern half largely untouched.
Final August, prosecutors revealed that former mayoral advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin had allegedly accepted bribes from the homeowners of native manufacturing firm Broadway Phases in trade for axing the challenge.
Days after Lewis-Martin was charged, Mamdani — then within the thick of campaigning after profitable the Democratic mayoral main — joined politicians and activists on McGuinness Boulevard and promised to complete the redesign if elected.
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, (middle) allegedly accepted bribes in trade for axing the unique redesign. File photograph by Dean Moses
On Saturday, the mayor mentioned the Adams administration had “bowed to big money interests, leaving the project incomplete and Greenpointers still at risk.”
“Today, however, there is a new mayor in City Hall,” he declared, to cheers from supporters and native pols.
Greenpoint resident Bronwyn Breitner helped discovered the group “Make McGuinness Safe” after Jensen, then her son’s instructor at P.S. 110, was killed only a block from her household’s dwelling.
“We are so grateful to you, Mayor Mamdani, for making this a priority in your campaign, for keeping your promise that you made to our community many months ago,” Breitner mentioned on Saturday. “And we are so thrilled to partner with you on this today and in the work that this involves in the future.”
Native resident Bronwyn Breitner, who helped discovered “Make McGuinness Safe” after Jensen was killed. Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell
Meeting Member Emily Gallagher, who has helped to steer the hassle to revamp McGuinness Boulevard, was joined by Jensen’s cousin John Ogren. In 2021, Ogren mentioned he had been shocked to get the decision that Jensen had been killed in a hit-and-run — however “wasn’t surprised” that it had been on McGuinness Boulevard.
“I promise, too, that cousin Matty would be standing here with you, and I really believe that Matty’s up here with the choir watching all of us,” Ogren advised the gang on Saturday, earlier than turning his consideration towards Mamdami. “So god bless you, I’m so proud that you’re my mayor. Thank you for all you do.”
Opponents of the redesign — together with Broadway Phases — had argued that eradicating automobile lanes would enhance site visitors, scale back security, and threaten native companies.
Restler mentioned that the redesign on the southern half had slowed by solely a couple of minute in every path.
Supporters held indicators with the names of individuals killed on McGuinness Boulevard, together with Jimmy Battaglia, Neil Chamberlain and Liem Nhan. Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell
“Our neighborhood is demonstrably safer already because of the changes that we have secured on McGuinness Boulevard,” he mentioned. “But McGuinness Boulevard will finally be safe from the Pulaski Bridge down to Meeker thanks to the leadership of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.”
The announcement got here only a day after DOT introduced that New York Metropolis recorded its lowest variety of site visitors deaths in historical past — 205 — in 2025, beneath the management of Adams and former DOT commish Ydanis Rodriguez.
Flynn, simply three days into his new function, mentioned the McGuinness Boulevard redesign is simply the beginning for the company.
“This is just the beginning,” he mentioned. “DOT will advance bold ambitious ideas to keep New Yorkers safe on streets across the city. Let’s get to work.”
