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McGuinness Boulevard redesign completed after years of delays

McGuinness Boulevard redesign completed after years of delays

Built World New York, NY local

Protected bike lanes now run the full mile from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge in Greenpoint.

Yesterday: McGuinness Boulevard redesign completed

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

A one-mile stretch of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, now has parking-protected bike lanes from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge. The redesign was completed Friday, after years of delays and a detour through the bribery case against a former top aide to Mayor Eric Adams.

The project changes how about 4,000 daily summer cyclists and local drivers share the road. It also tests whether a street-safety plan can survive political interference and become a model for other dangerous corridors.

Why it matters

The completed mile gives Greenpoint a continuous protected bike route and a test case for whether street-safety plans can outlast political interference.

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Key Indicators

1 mile
Length of redesign
Runs from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge.
4,000
Daily summer cyclists
NYC DOT estimate for McGuinness Boulevard during summer months.
2021
Year of fatal crash that sparked campaign
A teacher was killed crossing McGuinness, energizing safe-street advocates.

Voices

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People Involved

Zohran Kwame Mamdani
Zohran Kwame Mamdani
Mayor of New York City
In office
 Mike Flynn
Mike Flynn
Commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation
In office
 Ingrid Lewis-Martin
Ingrid Lewis-Martin
Former chief adviser to Mayor Eric Adams
Pleaded not guilty; awaiting trial
BB
Bronwyn Breitner
Advocate, Make McGuinness Safe
Active

Organizations Involved

New York City Department of Transportation
New York City Department of Transportation
City agency
Built the McGuinness Boulevard redesign

The city agency responsible for street design, construction, and traffic safety.
MS
Make McGuinness Safe
Community advocacy group
Pushed for the full redesign

A Greenpoint advocacy group that campaigned for safer street design on McGuinness Boulevard.
Broadway Stages
Broadway Stages
Film production company
Opposed the redesign; owners alleged to have paid bribes

A major Brooklyn film production company whose owners opposed the McGuinness Boulevard redesign.

Timeline

2021 November 2026

6 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. McGuinness Boulevard redesign completed

    Latest Completion

    Officials cut a ribbon on the full mile of protected bike lanes from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge.

  2. Construction begins on northern section

    Construction

    Crews started extending parking-protected bike lanes to the Pulaski Bridge.

  3. Mamdani commits to completing redesign

    Policy

    Days after inauguration, the new mayor backed the original protected-bike-lane plan.

  4. DOT presents narrowed-road redesign

    Planning

    The plan added space for walking and cycling while keeping parking on both sides.

  5. NYC DOT presents redesign options

    Planning

    The department shared community feedback and options for a safer corridor.

  6. Teacher killed crossing McGuinness Boulevard

    Incident

    A popular teacher was struck and killed by a Rolls-Royce driver, energizing the safe-street campaign.

Scenarios

1

McGuinness design becomes model for other NYC corridors

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Make McGuinness Safe advocate Bronwyn Breitner

Breitner said the completed redesign creates a precedent for similar corridors around the city. If NYC DOT cites McGuinness when proposing future protected-lane projects, the one-mile rebuild becomes a template rather than a one-off.

2

Lewis-Martin convicted or pleads guilty in McGuinness bribery case

Uncertain Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Prosecutors' public filings and court coverage

The McGuinness redesign became entangled in the bribery case against Ingrid Lewis-Martin. A conviction or guilty plea would confirm the alleged link between the scaled-back project and payments from Broadway Stages owners.

3

Loading conflicts persist on northern McGuinness

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Bronwyn Breitner and local business advocates

Breitner said the northern bike lane was often blocked because the scaled-back design lacked loading zones. If delivery trucks keep parking in the new protected lane, NYC DOT may need to add curb regulations or loading zones.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2021

McGuinness Boulevard fatal crash (2021)

A popular teacher was killed crossing McGuinness Boulevard by the driver of a Rolls-Royce. The death energized years of advocacy for a safer street.

Then

Safe-street groups demanded a redesign with protected bike lanes.

Now

The corridor became a test case for how far New York City would go to reallocate road space.

Why this matters now

The completed redesign is the outcome of that campaign.

2023

Adams administration scales back McGuinness redesign (2023)

After business opposition led by Broadway Stages, the Adams administration halted the full redesign and installed a split configuration with different bike lanes.

Then

Advocates were furious; the project stalled.

Now

Prosecutors later alleged the reversal was tied to bribes accepted by Ingrid Lewis-Martin.

Why this matters now

The delay explains why completion took until 2026 and why the project became entangled in a corruption case.

Sources

(4)
The City Reporter NYC Mayor's Office Gothamist NYC DOT