Mamdani to announce bike lane plans that would finally end McGuinness Boulevard saga

The redesign of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is expected to be completed after years of delays. The plan extends a parking-protected bike lane from Calyer Street to the Pulaski Bridge, fully implementing the original concept. Construction is expected to begin this week, fulfilling a pledge made early in Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s term. When finished, the corridor will include a parking-protected bike lane from Meeker Avenue to the Pulaski Bridge. The project became central to a major scandal during the Adams administration. Prosecutors allege the overhaul was watered down after bribes were paid to a deputy of the previous mayor, following opposition from local businesses including Broadway Stages owners who argued the changes would harm operations and slow trucks.

"Transportation officials are expected to announce Wednesday the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn will be completed after years of delays. The Department of Transportation will extend the parking-protected bike lane from Calyer Street to the Pulaski Bridge, fully implementing a project that prosecutors allege had been watered down in exchange for bribes paid to a deputy of previous Mayor Eric Adams. Construction is expected to begin this week, fulfilling a pledge Mamdani made on his first weekend in office."

"Adams and his Department of Transportation had planned to remove a lane of traffic in each direction on McGuinness and build a parking protected bike lane. Street safety advocates had pushed for years for such a redesign of the road with a reputation for dangerous driving. In 2021, a popular teacher was killed crossing the street by the driver of a Rolls Royce, energizing efforts to fix the road."

"But local businesses protested Adams' plan, saying it would reduce customers and interfere with their operations. Leading the charge were the sibling owners of Broadway Stages, a major film production company based nearby. Tony and Gina Argento argued the redesign would slow down their trucks hauling equipment to film sets around the city. The administration abruptly halted the project, then installed a version that scaled back the overhaul of McGuinness."

"Later, prosecutors offered an explanation of the administration's about-face: Adams' chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin accepted bribes from the Argentos in exchange for her opposition of the project. The administration's scaled-back approach divided the work into two sections with different types of bike lanes, and advocates were furious."

Read at Gothamist