New York City plans to redesign 2.1 miles of Third Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, with protected bicycle lanes, shorter pedestrian crossings and reconstructed intersections. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Department of Transportation announced the project Wednesday, describing a corridor that currently carries six moving lanes along much of its length and can require pedestrians to cross roughly 150 feet. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 and proceed in two phases through the end of 2028.
The work would cover Third Avenue from 62nd Street to 20th Street. The city says barrier-protected bicycle lanes would run in both directions along the center median, while new pedestrian islands and extensions of sidewalks and medians would reduce some crossing distances by as much as half. The design is also intended to organize parking and slow dangerous driving without removing the avenue’s role as a major route through an industrial and residential part of Brooklyn.
Officials cited a decade of severe crashes in explaining the project. Seventeen people have been killed along the corridor during that period, including nurse Jiayi Zheng, who died in an August hit-and-run. The city says comparable street redesigns have reduced deaths and serious injuries by about 30 percent across all road users. That is an experience-based projection for the design approach, not a guarantee of the precise outcome on Third Avenue.
The first phase, planned for 2027, would address Third Avenue between 62nd and 43rd streets. It also includes a two-way, parking-protected bicycle lane on 60th Street between Second and Fourth avenues. That segment would connect Fourth Avenue’s protected lanes to the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway on Second Avenue and improve bicycle access near two schools. The second Third Avenue phase, from 43rd to 20th streets, is scheduled for 2028.
The Department of Transportation will also explore later extensions south between 62nd and 65th streets and north from Prospect Avenue toward Carroll Street in Gowanus. Those possible additions are not part of the two phases now scheduled for construction. They would require further review, design and funding. Separating the committed project from potential future work is important because the announcement describes a clear timeline only for the 62nd-to-20th Street corridor.
Third Avenue presents an unusually complex street-design challenge. It serves local residents, schools, businesses and cyclists while also carrying trucks and other traffic connected to Sunset Park’s industrial waterfront. A center-running bicycle facility and pedestrian islands can reduce conflicts, but the final design must also account for loading, turning vehicles, emergency access, bus operations and the movement of workers across the corridor. Public implementation details will determine how those needs are balanced block by block.
The project is part of the city’s broader Vision Zero plan to treat its highest-injury streets. The administration has committed to bring safety improvements to untreated priority corridors over the next three years. On Third Avenue, the announced measures focus on physical changes rather than relying only on enforcement or signs. Street geometry can influence speed and driver behavior continuously, although maintenance, visibility and predictable intersection rules remain essential after construction.
For Sunset Park residents, the next questions concern the detailed drawings, construction schedule and effects on parking and deliveries. The city’s announcement establishes the boundaries and phased timeline but does not yet resolve every operational issue. If completed as described, the redesign would turn one of Brooklyn’s widest avenues into a corridor with substantially shorter crossings and protected space for cycling while preserving its function as a major neighborhood and commercial route.
Sources: NYC Mayor’s Office; NYC Mayor’s Office transcript. Reviewed October 29, 2026. Development: October 28, 2026.