Pulaski Bridge Entrance Redesign
Long Island City, Queens, NY
The redesign of the Pulaski Bridge entrance centers on shifting its alignment from 11th Street to Jackson Avenue, a more significant thoroughfare that connects directly to Northern Boulevard. This move reduces congestion on 11th Street and allows it to be reimagined as a more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly corridor. One lane is removed to make room for a protected bike lane and a large pedestrian plaza at the existing B32 and B63 bus stop.
The new plaza acts as a mixing zone for cyclists arriving from both the Pulaski Bridge and Jackson Avenue South, similar to the waterfront design at One Financial Center in Battery Park City. Trees are planted throughout the pedestrian areas, their alignment hinting at the bike path and reinforcing safe circulation. Together, these changes calm traffic along 11th Street, create a large chicane, and shorten pedestrian crossings.
Exit ramps from the bridge are also reconfigured. To the east, extending sidewalks along new residential development reduces the number of vehicular lanes while adding another pedestrian plaza with shorter, safer crossings. To the west, the protected bike lane is straightened to flow directly into the new 11th Street mixing zone, simplifying movement for cyclists and improving traffic legibility.
By combining realignment, reconfigured infrastructure, and new public space, the project creates a safer, greener, and more efficient gateway into Long Island City.