Two-Way Bike Lane Construction on Brooklyn Bridge Begins Monday

   Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that starting on Monday, June 21, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) will replace the innermost car lane on the Brooklyn Bridge with a two-way protected bike line.

     The DOT’s addition of a protected bike lane to the Brooklyn Bridge will be the first major construction of the landmarked bridge since 1950, when the city removed the bridge’s trolley tracks.

    After more New Yorkers than ever took to their bicycles to get around throughout the pandemic, Mayor Bill de Blasio promised that he would continue to add protected bike lanes to the city’s streets to better protect pedestrians, bikers, and scooter enthusiasts.

   Commuters who use the Brooklyn Bridge may have to use alternative routes during the bike lane’s construction, which is expected to be completed by early fall.

    Beginning Monday evening, drivers will no longer be permitted to turn right from westbound Tillary Street onto the Brooklyn Bridge.

    The Manhattan Bridge, the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, cycling, or mass transit are alternative options for reaching Lower Manhattan, Mayor de Blasio said. 

     While some Brooklyn commuters may feel frustrated by the reduction of car lanes on the Brooklyn Bridge, others are glad that riders of bikes and scooters will be safe and protected.

     “The Brooklyn Bridge has long prioritized motorized travel and can often feel inhospitable and dangerous [to bicyclists],” said U.S. Rep Jerry Nadler (D-NY). “I’m delighted that the DOT will construct a two-way protected bike lane on the Brooklyn Bridge.”

     “Bridges for the People is a beautiful reimagining of New York City’s most iconic bridge,” said Mayor de Blasio.