Mayor Mamdani Announces Expanded Bike Boulevard Vision for 31st Avenue in Astoria, Queens

"Too many pedestrians and cyclists have been hurt or killed along this stretch of 31st Avenue. Extending the bike boulevard will calm traffic, protect people walking and biking and reflect how Astoria residents actually move through their neighborhood every day," said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez.

"From its Open Street to its schools and shops, 31st Avenue is one of Astoria's most vital arteries. Ensuring it is safely walkable and bikeable for our families, all while maintaining vehicular access in a more sensible manner, is vital for this community, and I'm excited to see the DOT's bike boulevard project move forward into its next phase," said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. "With these new protections, we will not only make 31st Avenue a more inviting place but a safer one as well. I look forward to working with DOT and the wider community on improving the safety of Astoria."

"This next phase of modernization for 31st Avenue will give cyclists and pedestrians a safe, direct route from Woodside Houses to the Astoria waterfront, reducing cut-through motor vehicle traffic while maintaining access for local, delivery and emergency vehicles," said State Senator Michael Gianaris. "We have already seen how phase one of this project improved safety and livability on 31st Avenue this past year, and I am pleased that residents east of Steinway will now enjoy the same benefits."

"I welcome DOT's proposed expansion of the 31st Avenue bike boulevard, an essential corridor in my district for cyclists and pedestrians. The extension of the existing bike lane to 51st Street will make traveling from east to west and west to east safer for everyone," said Assembly Member Diana Moreno. "I look forward to working with DOT on the implementation of this proposal, especially improvements to the existing redesign and a future traffic circle at the intersection of 31st Avenue, Newtown Avenue and 43rd Street, which will improve safety and add much-needed green space to our neighborhood."

"31st Avenue has long been a dangerous stretch for our neighbors and today's announcement is a major win for street safety for Astorians. The commitment by NYC DOT and Mayor Mamdani to implement the next phase of the 31st Avenue bike boulevard is one that will save lives, make our streets safer and make Astoria a more vibrant community for all of our neighbors," said Council Member Tiffany Cabán. "The success of the first leg of the 31st Avenue redesign has already shown us how transformative these changes can be for our community. This expansion builds on that momentum and aligns with the goals we advocated for in the Western Queens Street Safety Plan, which called for a truly connected network of protected lanes. By slowing down traffic and creating more space for Astorians to walk and bike, we're turning a risky stretch of road into a much safer, more welcoming space. This is what investment in safer streets looks like."

"I was hit by a reckless driver on this very street," said Julie Huntington, a member of Families for Safe Streets. "After my crash here in Astoria, my father was hit and killed by a different driver. Bike boulevards work - and the bike boulevard already on 31st Avenue is already transforming this street into a safer, better, greener one for the neighborhood. I'm grateful this successful redesign will be expanded to cover more ground and protect more New Yorkers from crashes like mine."

"The safety redesign of 31st Avenue has been a big success, and we're so happy to see that phase two will extend those benefits to even more Astoria residents," said Mae Francke, Queens Organizer for Transportation Alternatives. "A two-way protected bike, a traffic circle and more pedestrian space will all increase the safety of the neighborhood, and we're thrilled that the Mamdani administration will complete this project in its first year."

"The 31st Avenue bike boulevard shows what's possible when streets are designed around people instead of speeding traffic," said Ken Podziba, CEO of Bike New York. "For too long, dangerous traffic conditions on this corridor have put New Yorkers at risk. This expansion is a transformative investment in public safety, public space and sustainable transportation that will make it safer and more welcoming for children to bike, for older adults to cross the street and for families to move through Astoria comfortably and safely. By prioritizing people walking and biking over cut-through traffic and speeding vehicles, NYC DOT is demonstrating what Vision Zero should look like in practice. We applaud Commissioner Flynn and the Department of Transportation for advancing a safer, more connected future for Queens."

"The NYC DOT's continued advancement of the 31st Avenue bike corridor redesign is welcomed news," said Kate Slevin, Executive Vice President of Regional Plan Association (RPA). "As a Vision Zero Priority Area, the continued enhancements - particularly the parking-protected, two-way bike lane, greater visibility at intersections and expanded pedestrian space along Steinway Street to 51st Street - will help protect cyclists, pedestrians and help calm traffic from the waterfront into Woodside."

"31st Avenue's transformation shows what's possible when neighbors lead the way in reimagining their streets. Astoria residents have spent years organizing and advocating for a safer 31st Avenue, and this next phase reflects that community vision. Hat's off to them. We commend NYC DOT for using proven low-traffic neighborhood tools like reversing select street directions, reducing cut-through traffic and adding a traffic circle to calm speeds and organize intersections," said Jackson Chabot, Director of Advocacy and Organizing at Open Plans. "By doing so, NYC is creating a corridor that prioritizes people over through-traffic while also maintaining local access. This is an important step toward a calmer, quieter and more connected neighborhood for everyone who lives, walks, bikes and shops along 31st Avenue."

"We're very pleased that NYC DOT will expand Astoria's 31st Avenue bike boulevard in 2026. The design of the original segment has greatly reduced the volume and speeds of traffic cutting through the corridor, while preserving access for drivers to every block, and creating a calmer, safer and vastly more attractive route for cycling and walking," said Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC. "It's a smart, safe design that has, and will continue to, transform what has historically been a dangerous stretch into a lovely neighborhood street."

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