Push To Remake Chaotic Midtown Ave Gains Steam With BP's Support

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A grassroots campaign to convince the city to redesign one of Midtown's most chaotic thoroughfares gained steam this week as Manhattan's top elected official got behind the proposal.

A group of advocates is pushing to remake Third Avenue between 24th and 42nd streets — a stretch that currently includes a whopping seven lanes of traffic, few trees, no bike lanes and limited pedestrian space.

In its place, they want the city to widen sidewalks, add bus and bike lanes, and greenify the corridor to create what they call a "Thrid Avenue Boulevard."

On Monday, Gale Brewer, who has just a few weeks remaining as Manhattan borough president, penned a letter to the Department of Transportation urging them to explore the plan, noting that three New Yorkers have been killed in traffic crashes along those 18 blocks in recent years, with another 561 people being injured.

"Meanwhile, the M101, 102, and 103 buses that traverse Third Avenue traveled at an abysmal average speed of just over 5.5 mph in 2019," Brewer wrote. "Bus lanes, protected bike lanes, widened sidewalks, and other pedestrian safety treatments would address many of these concerns."

A DOT spokesperson told Streetsblog, which first reported on Brewer's letter, that the agency was aware of the campaign and "[looks] forward to working with stakeholders on a potential project in the future."

Different plans have been put forward for how to reimagine the avenue. One idea from Community Board 6 and Sam Schwartz Engineering focuses on the blocks between East 26th and 32nd streets, proposing to reduce car traffic to just two lanes, add 10 feet of sidewalk on each side of the street, build a protected bike lane and add loading areas.

Forget what you know about the other avenues.

We want to knock this out of the park!@NYC_DOT @KeithPowersNYC @CarlinaRivera @ericadamsfornyc https://t.co/vH4kVpgsgU
— NewThirdAvenueBoulevard (@new_boulevard) November 11, 2021

An alternate plan from Transportation Alternatives would add two bus lanes, an elevated bike path and space for outdoor dining. Even New York Magazine tried its hand this month, convening experts to redesign a sample intersection of Third Avenue at East 33rd Street.

Other Midtown avenues set to undergo makeovers include part of Eighth Avenue, which recently got wider sidewalks and bike parking; Seventh Avenue, which got a long-awaited bike lane extension; and Fifth Avenue, which is supposed to get a busway and bike lanes — though repeated delays have thrown that project into question.

Previous coverage: Midtown's Hectic 3rd Avenue Reimagined Under New Proposal