Washington Bridge Gets New Bus and Protected Bike Lanes: DOT

NEW YORK CITY — A bridge that connects Upper Manhattan to the Bronx has completed a recent renovation with the addition of a new dedicated bus lane and a two-way protected bike lane, city Department of Transportation officials announced.

The Washington Bridge will now serve five bus routes and connect to NYC DOT’s 181st Street busway in Manhattan and the Edward L. Grant Highway and University Avenue bus lanes in the Bronx.

NYC DOT also added an automated-camera-enforced bus lane to the Bronx-bound side of the span, which will help make commutes even faster and more reliable.

The project will deliver faster, more reliable bus service for 68,000 daily riders along the corridor. “This transformative redesign of the Washington Bridge will protect pedestrians and cyclists, speed up bus service, and make the street safer for everyone,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We are committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers benefit from our life-saving work, and this great project will make commutes quicker and safer for residents in working class communities in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan.”

NYC DOT added a two-way barrier-protected path in Manhattan to create safe cycling access to the bridge. Riders can connect to the bridge via a new two-way barrier-protected path at Amsterdam Avenue and West 182nd Street, as well as a new two-way barrier-protected path on Laurel Hill Terrace, between McNally Plaza and Amsterdam Avenue. The agency will also deliver upgrades to Amsterdam Avenue and West 181st Street to improve safety near the span. These upgrades include a Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) to give pedestrians crossing the street a head start, a signal phase for turning vehicles, as well as new and better organized turn lanes. These are expected to be implemented by the end of the year.

On the Bronx side, the agency added a two-way barrier-protected bike lane to one of the entrance ramp lanes from University Avenue to create seamless safe cycling access and separate pedestrian and cycling traffic. The project also connects to protected bicycle lanes on University Avenue and Edward L. Grant Highway.

“We celebrate the completion of pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements along the Washington Bridge that also prioritize the use public transportation along one of our busiest traffic corridors,” said Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa. “Earlier this year, cyclists lost their lives on this bridge, underlying the immense need for safety upgrades like protected bike lanes. We have conducted walkthroughs with our transportation chair and transportation commissioner on several occasions and will continue to hone in on these unsafe corridors to explore additional solutions and education that allow pedestrians, cyclists, and commuters alike to share our streets with confidence.”