Community Board 2 approves amended Canal Street safety plan, rejects Grand Street bike-lane as written

Manhattan Community Board 2 voted to approve an amended resolution urging the New York City Department of Transportation to revise and implement Phase 1 of the Canal Street redesign with enhanced pedestrian-safety measures.

The resolution, introduced by the board’s executive committee and amended during full-board debate to require public posting of draft presentation materials at least seven days before any public meeting, passed 30–1 with five abstentions. The amendment also added language asking DOT to consider time-of-day left-turn restrictions and to monitor operations after implementation.

The debate followed nearly three hours of public testimony. Local residents and neighborhood groups — including the Hudson Square BID and longtime riders who said Canal Street is hazardous — urged immediate safety work. Kevin O’Connor, a resident who described a recent fatality, told the board: “This is not a theoretical situation… 22 people have died on Canal Street.” His remarks underscored pleas from multiple speakers for faster implementation across the corridor rather than patchwork changes.

Several board members pushed for increased public review time after members said DOT had shared extensive materials with select stakeholders but not the wider community. Janine (board member) argued the public needed time to review and consult, and a substitute requiring materials be shared publicly at least seven calendar days before a meeting passed on the floor.

The resolution also instructed DOT to coordinate with DEP on flood mitigation, prioritize enforcement against illegal sidewalk vending, and incorporate micro-mobility integration and other pedestrian-safety tools such as rumble strips and intersection narrowing where appropriate. The board’s chair emphasized the changes are intended to advance safety while preserving access for local businesses and buses.

The board separately split the Canal Street item from a Grand Street two-way protected bike-lane proposal. The Grand Street measure failed 14–20–2 after members raised concerns about narrow curb-to-curb widths and potential pedestrian impacts in sections with heavy sidewalk use. Following that vote, the board passed a motion (34–2) asking DOT to return with further study and a more detailed public presentation focused specifically on Grand Street alternatives and block-by-block tradeoffs.

Next steps: the board will forward the amended Canal Street resolution to DOT and has requested a new, public Grand Street presentation; DOT is expected to respond and to present follow-up materials for additional review.