Big changes are coming to McGuinness Boulevard in New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn have promised a full redesign of the notoriously dangerous roadway. Known as a critical cycling connection between Brooklyn and Queens, McGuinness Boulevard sees over 4,000 daily riders in the summer. The revamp will include parking-protected bike lanes along the entire street, which will also implement traffic calming measures aimed at ensuring the safety of not just bikers but also pedestrians, and drivers, according to a recent announcement on the NYC Mayor's Office official website.
In a move that seems to reprioritize street safety over political expediency, Mamdani spoke out against the delay of necessary street projects, "For too long, critical street safety projects have been delayed or shelved because of political considerations and backroom deal-making rather than the needs of New Yorkers," as mentioned on the NYC Mayor's Office website. NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn added that their goal is to unify the Greenpoint community, rather than dividing it, expressing determination to make McGuinness Boulevard safer for everyone. The redesigned thoroughfare will feature one travel lane in each direction, a parking-protected bike lane in each direction, and one lane for vehicular parking and loading, again in each direction.
Local officials and community advocates are celebrating these changes. Assemblymember Emily Gallagher’s frustration with previous inaction regarding McGuinness Boulevard pushed her to run for office. She explained, "Decades of death and catastrophic injury occurred before Matthew Jensen was tragically killed in 2021." as per the NYC Mayor's Office website. She praised the announcement as a significant victory. Moreover, Councilmember Lincoln Restler regarded the quick action of the new administration as a substantive demonstration of their dedication to transformational street safety improvements.
State Senator Kristen Gonzalez lauded the Mayor's commitment to street safety, “Our community has tirelessly advocated for these evidence-based changes for years because we know they save lives." Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso chimed in, “This is what it looks like to have a Mayor who puts the public good ahead of political gain,” according to the NYC Mayor's Office website. Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of OpenPlans, applauded Mayor Mamdani's swift move to prioritize the redesign, a signal of commitment to improving street safety and fostering a more livable city.
Families affected by the dangers of McGuinness Boulevard have waited years for this kind of overhaul. Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, Co-Chair of Families for Safe Streets New York, shared her relief, as someone who lost her son because of the street’s perils. She criticized how previous plans had been diluted due to corrupt political influence, but revitalized with hope now that the full redesign was moving forward. The redesign initiative is expected to decrease traffic deaths and serious injuries by 30 percent, helping safeguard the lives of New Yorkers.
