Washington Bridge dedicated bus and protected bike lanes now open
Images courtesy of NYC DOT
The Washington Bridge has undergone a transformative redesign, ensuring safety for pedestrians and cyclists while also speeding up bus service. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Monday announced the completion of a redesigned intersection at the bridge’s approach, along with a dedicated bus lane and a two-way protected bike lane, stretching from Amsterdam Avenue in Washington Heights to University Avenue in the Bronx. The project will deliver quicker, more reliable bus service to the 68,000 daily riders who travel 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,” Rodriguez said. “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.”
The half-mile bus lane expansion along the bridge serves five bus routes and connects to the 181st busway in Manhattan and the Edward L. Grant Highway and University Avenue bus lanes in the Bronx.
The redesign builds on the success of the busway, implemented in 2021, which has sped up bus service at all times of the day, cutting travel times by up to 30 percent during peak morning and evening rush hours for Manhattan-bound traffic.
DOT has also added an Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE) bus lane to the Bronx-bound side of the bridge, which will help speed up commutes while maintaining two travel lanes for vehicles entering the borough.
Creating a dedicated, two-way protected bike lane improves safety for pedestrians and cyclists, who previously shared a narrow passageway on the bridge. Cyclists can enter the bridge on the protected lane at Amsterdam Avenue and West 182nd Street and on Laurel Hill Terrace between McNally Plaza and Amsterdam Avenue.
DOT will also deliver upgrades to improve safety near Amsterdam Avenue and West 181st Street, including a Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) to give pedestrians a head start while crossing, a signal phase for turning vehicles, and new and better-organized turn lanes. These upgrades are slated for completion by the end of the year.
RELATED:
