Press Release
Repaving Will Begin in Southern Section of Central Park on March 17
NEW YORK – New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue, and Central Park Conservancy President and CEO Betsy Smith President announced the next step in a redesign of Central Park’s Drives. The milling and repaving of the drives will begin Monday, March 17, as part of the planned redesign of the park’s six-mile loop road to improve safety and more clearly designate space for pedestrians and cyclists. This work is based on a study undertaken by the Conservancy in collaboration with NYC DOT and NYC Parks published last fall.
“Turning Central Park's drives into car-free spaces has allowed the city to reimagine how the park loop can best reflect the needs of parkgoers. NYC DOT will be taking advantage of this repaving to prioritize pedestrian safety while also better accommodating cyclists and legal e-mobility options,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We thank New Yorkers for their patience while we deliver these upgrades to the city’s most iconic park and we appreciate the close partnership with Parks and the Central Park Conservancy.”
“For millions of New Yorkers and visitors each year, our parks offer the perfect place to work up a sweat, take in the fresh air, and connect with nature. With this innovative redesign of the park drives, we’re making it easier and safer for New Yorkers to bike, jog, and stroll through Central Park’s six-mile loop,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “This project is a great example of how NYC Parks works with our partners throughout the city to enhance our public greenspaces, and the lessons learned from this project will help to inform drive designs in other key locations like Prospect Park and beyond. We’re grateful to NYC DOT and the Central Park Conservancy for their partnership.”
“Starting construction on the drives is a testament to how Central Park can play a pivotal role in creating healthier neighborhoods and addressing some of today’s most pressing public realm challenges,” said Betsy Smith, president & CEO, Central Park Conservancy. “Repaving the drives is just the first step in many solutions to increase safety and mobility in Central Park, and we are thankful to our partners at NYC DOT and NYC Parks for their commitment and expertise in this important investment in New York City.”
NYC DOT will first focus on milling and repaving the middle and southern portion of the park’s loop this year, from 96th Street on the West Drive to 90th Street on the East Drive, with the repaving of the northern section of the park loop to take place next year after the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer opens this spring.
Diagram showing existing allocation of space on the drives of Central Park, left, alongside the planned redesign of the drives, right. Credit: NYC DOT
NYC DOT will take advantage of the repaving to redesign the Park loop this spring to:
- Allocate space consistently across the drives for different user groups to more clearly delineate an inner pedestrian lane.
- Better separate pedestrians from cyclists and other higher-speed users.
- Modify signals to clearly designate them for cyclists to improve compliance
- Better direct pedestrians to the historic archways to reduce conflicts on the drives.
NYC DOT will work with Parks and the Conservancy to expand walking and running space along most segments of the drives while repurposing the outdated, dedicated vehicle lane as a “flex lane” dedicated to faster cyclists and essential vehicle access. The redesign will more clearly define where each park user belongs on the drives and will better separate pedestrians from other park users while also improving each crossing including the complicated crossings at 72nd Street and Center Drive.
Renderings show three crosswalk designs to be installed for locations with low pedestrian volumes (left), medium pedestrian volumes (center), and high pedestrian volumes (right). Credit: NYC DOT
Following repaving and during the next stage of the project, at crosswalks along the drives, NYC DOT will reconfigure every traffic light to replace the standard traffic lights with lights featuring bicycle symbols. At low-volume crosswalks, traffic lights may be removed and replaced with ‘pedestrian crossing’ and ‘active bike lane’ warning signage. Final signal designs for medium and high volume crossings will vary by location.
NYC Parks will work closely with NYC DOT and the Conservancy to improve in-park cycling connections by adjusting existing Central Parks bike paths, adding new bike paths along the 86th Street Bridle Path, and better connecting cycling paths to the street grid.
Repaving Schedule
The agency expects to complete milling and paving over roughly six weeks, weather permitting, during weeknights beginning at 9 p.m. and finishing as late as 4 a.m. Work will take place in segments, with milling planned for Monday through Wednesday nights and paving to follow on Thursday and Friday nights so that there are no unpaved roadway segments on weekends. Variable Message Signs (VMS) along the park will alert users of the construction.
The drives will not be closed during construction, but bikers and pedestrians should use caution when traversing the milled sections. Restriping of the road and all crosswalks will happen following the repaving.
“With cars now permanently banned from Central Park drives, today’s repaving announcement is welcome news for pedestrians and bicyclists alike,” said Congressman Jerry Nadler. “Removing vehicular traffic was the first step to improving safety in the world’s most famous park, and now, these new lanes will build on the improvements we are seeing throughout Central Park.”
“I’m thrilled that the Department of Transportation and the Parks Department have started the work of redesigning the Central Park Drives,” said State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “The much-needed improvements include more space for, and better separation between, pedestrians and cyclists, as well as new traffic lights and pedestrian crossing signs. These changes will reduce the likelihood of collisions and make Central Park safer for all New Yorkers to enjoy.”
“The redesign of Central Park’s Drives is a much-needed project to update the Park loop to promote better use of the lanes and existing space,” said State Senator José Serrano. “This important project will repurpose and modify necessary signage and lanes to create a safer environment for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists. Many thanks to the New York City Department of Transportation, Department of New York City Parks & Recreation, and Central Park Conservancy for their vital work on this project.”
“Community Board 8 is excited for the announcement of this much needed investment in the maintenance and usability of the Central Park Drives by the New York City Department of Transportation, Department of Parks & Recreation, and Central Park Conservancy,” said Valerie Mason, chair of Manhattan Community Board 8. “The first phase of updating the Central Park Loop has received significant support from our community as the Conservancy and the city aim to improve the safety and experience of all park users.”
“As many members of East Harlem are avid users of Central Park, we eagerly look forward to this redevelopment of the Central Park Drives,” said Xavier A. Santiago, chair of Manhattan Community Board 11. “Although the second phase will not happen for the northern section of the park until next year, we are excited for this innovative and bespoke approach to safely improve our community’s access to Central Park.”
“Bike New York commends NYC DOT, NYC Parks, and the Central Park Conservancy for their commitment to making Central Park’s Drives safer and more accessible for everyone,” said Ken Podziba, CEO of Bike New York. “The planned redesign and repaving will significantly improve conditions for cyclists and pedestrians alike, creating a clearer, more predictable, and ultimately safer environment. By reallocating space, enhancing signage, and better separating pedestrians from cyclists, this project represents a major step forward in advancing cycling and active transportation in what is not only New York City’s but arguably the world’s most iconic park. We look forward to seeing these improvements benefit the millions who depend on Central Park for recreation and transportation each year.”
“Adapting our streets to accommodate transportation alternatives that allow more working class New Yorkers to stay safely on the move is critical to New York’s evolution as a 21st century innovator in transportation, workforce development, and pedestrian safety,” said Ligia Guallpa, executive director of Worker’s Justice Project. “Thank you, Commissioner Rodriguez and the NYC Department of Transportation for initiating this next phase of Central Park’s iconic loop and for ensuring a holistic and inclusive vision of street safety for our city’s workers and residents.”
“After years of TA advocacy, Central Park has been car-free since 2018, allowing pedestrians and bike riders to fully enjoy this great park,” said Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives. “Since then, the vehicle lane that loops around the park has been largely obsolete, and repurposing it to provide more room for cyclists and pedestrians will make traveling through the park safer for everyone. This is a fantastic step forward, and we're excited to walk and bike on the freshly-paved Central Park Drives.”