A major advancement in urban mobility and recreational space is underway in the Bronx, as the Department of Transportation (DOT) kicks off construction of the Harlem River Greenway, a project aimed at providing over 4 miles of new bike lanes in the area. Bronx News12 reports that this greenway, once completed, will span a total of 7 miles to forge a seamless connection between Van Cortlandt Park and Randall's Island Park.
The development is a welcomed change for a borough critically underserved in terms of bike infrastructure; City Councilmember Pierina Sanchez noted that the Bronx currently boasts a mere 6% of the city's bike lanes, whereas Manhattan and Queens together have 75% and the new project will "forge much-needed connections throughout our neighborhoods," according to a statement obtained by Gothamist. The latest phase in construction features a barrier-protected bike lane and pedestrian walkway leading over the Major Deegan Expressway and Metro-North tracks providing the sole waterfront access for an extensive stretch.
The broader vision for the greenway encompasses not just the enhancement of connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians, but also the establishment of open public spaces, such as a 2.3-acre park dubbed the Lower Concourse Park, nestled between 144th and 146th streets along the Harlem River. These "near-term" projects, part of the greenway's components, are on track for completion within the year, following a community-led planning process that spans two years back and responding to decades of demand for better river access from Bronx residents, according to Gothamist.
Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez emphasized the significance of this development at the announcement, stressing "Biking is not a luxury. Biking is a human right," a sentiment highlighting the transformative potential of such projects. This sentiment was shared by Chauncy Young, coordinator of the Bronx-based Harlem River Working Group, who told Gothamist, "For too long, Bronx communities have been severed from their own waterfront, a historic harm largely inflicted by the era of Robert Moses and his damaging infrastructure projects like the Major Deegan and the Cross Bronx Expressways," demonstrating the greenway's aim to rectify historical disconnections caused by past urban planning.
The greenway will also connect to the Empire State Trail—a 750-mile multiuse path linking New York City to Albany, Buffalo, and the Canadian border via Van Cortlandt Park. As construction begins, the project marks a new chapter for the Bronx, aiming to make cycling and walking not only accessible transportation options but also key components of a broader vision for urban sustainability and community wellness.
