Southern McGuinness redesign street work begins

November 4, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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GREENPOINT – WORK ON THE southern portion of the contentious McGuinness Boulevard redesign is finally commencing, following years of back-and-forth and changing plans for the future of the dangerous stretch of roadway. While safety advocates had been agitating for fixes on the busy street for over a decade, a DoT plan to cut its traffic lanes from two to one in each direction was stymied last year after an intercession by Adams aide Ingrid Lewis-Martin on behalf of area business groups, who claimed the redesign would make commercial activity difficult.

A protected bike lane was constructed on the northern portion of McGuinness in 2023, connecting the Pulaski bridge to Calyer Street. Between Calyer and Meeker Avenue, however, construction was stalled on the compromise plan originally introduced by the city.

Despite a primary victory by Greenpoint Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, a strong backer of the original plan, the city in August announced a watered-down version of the plan that would have kept the street at four lanes, which was immediately condemned by local elected officials. Then, on Oct. 2, slightly more than a month later – and, as noted by observers, five days after Lewis-Martin’s phone was seized and her home raided by authorities as part of the federal investigation into Mayor Adams – the city suddenly reversed itself, finalizing a version close to the original plan for the southern portion of the route.

Now in November, this is the plan currently under construction, as hailed by DoT chief Ydanis Rodriguez in a press statement on Saturday. It will feature one lane of traffic in each direction, and parking lanes and protected bike lanes on each side, as well as additional safety features like pedestrian islands. The city says drivers may experience minor delays, but that the work is expected to be completed this year.

“Our redesign will make McGuinness Boulevard safer for everyone on the street—whether you’re biking, walking, or riding a bicycle,” said Rodriguez. “We appreciate New Yorkers’ patience as we deliver this life-saving work.”

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