Long-Awaited Queensboro Bridge Repairs Delayed, Angering Pols

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — The city is pushing back its timeline to carry out badly-needed repairs to a cramped stretch of the Queensboro Bridge, dismaying two local lawmakers who call the delays unacceptable.

For years, the bridge's narrow, north outer roadway has been shared by pedestrians and cyclists, a claustrophobic setup that has led to numerous crashes. Following a major push by safe-streets advocates, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last year that the city would make the north roadway bikes-only, while converting the south outer roadway — which was car-free until 1996 — back into a pedestrian lane.

But the project is contingent on another planned overhaul: a replacement of the bridge's upper deck, which was originally slated to be completed by late 2022.

Now, a memo being circulated by the Department of Transportation says that the upper deck repairs will not be completed until December 2023 — apparently pushing back the bike and pedestrian work to 2024, at the earliest.

That was unwelcome news to Councilmembers Julie Menin and Julie Won, who represent the bridge's Manhattan and Queens sides, respectively. In a letter sent Thursday to DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, the lawmakers say the delays present "grave concerns for our constituents."

With more than 150,000 monthly bike trips during the summer, the shared bike-pedestrian lane is heavily-used but "treacherous," the lawmakers wrote, saying at least two more years of the shared setup "is not the best outcome" for bridge users.

"Absolutely committed"

Reached for comment, a DOT spokesperson said that the long-term goal remained the same, but that delays in fabricating the new upper deck had pushed back the timeline.

In a statement, Commissioner Rodriguez said he remained "absolutely committed to putting a new and separate pedestrian path on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge and bringing the span into a state of good repair.

"This project is a priority for me, and I know New Yorkers are excited about it, so we are going to get it done properly and safely," Rodriguez said.

Won and Menin requested a meeting with DOT, where they plan to raise the possibility of speeding up the project.

Beyond improving safety, the city has described the Queensboro Bridge as a key component in a growing network of bike lanes across the East Side, including protected lanes along First and Second Avenues and crosstown lanes on East 61st and 62nd streets, enabling access to Central Park.

The bridge opened in 1909 to connect Midtown Manhattan and Queens. Subway trains were added to the bridge in the 1950s, according to the New York City Department of Transportation. Cars now take up nine lanes on the bridge.

Replacing the bridge's aging upper deck will extend its lifespan by up to 75 years, according to the city. But the project will require closing a lane of traffic for months — another point of concern for Menin and Won, who fear that increased congestion on the bridge will spill out onto neighborhood streets.

"With sustained closures like this, we want to understand the mitigation plans that DOT has in place and ensure that the DOT has done everything in its power to expedite this timeline," they wrote.

Previous coverage:

• Queensboro Bike Lane Will Help Form East Side Network, City Says
• Part Of Queensboro Bridge Roadway To Be Converted Into Bike Lane

Maya Kaufman contributed to this report.