New York City launches public-private partnership to upgrade transit and pedestrian experience on 14th Street corridor
A public-private partnership will fund a study evaluating potential upgrades to enhance the 14th Street corridor in New York City’s Manhattan for bus riders and pedestrians alike. The partnership, which was announced by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball and leaders from the Union Square Partnership and Meatpacking District Management Association, will provide $3 million to fund the study.
NYC DOT, NYCEDC and the Union Square and Meatpacking District Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) will work together to build upon the previous improvements to the corridor’s busway.
The $1.5 million investment in the fiscal year (FY) 2026 adopted budget, which builds on Adams’ FY26 executive budget, along with $500,000 in funding from the NYCEDC, will help provide an upgrade to the entire 14th Street corridor for the 28,000 daily bus riders and thousands more New Yorkers visiting destinations along the street. Design features will include new landscaping, upgraded pedestrian space, greenery and safety enhancements that still preserve existing busway operations.
“Our administration continues to invest in transformative generational projects that redesign our public spaces, support our small businesses, boost tourism, make our city safer and encourage world-class recreation across the five boroughs,” Adams said. “As part of our ‘Best Budget Ever,’ we were proud to work with the Union Square and Meatpacking District BIDs and the City Council to advance a study of 14th Street that will usher in the future of this iconic corridor. We continue to think big and imagine what is possible on our streets and in our communities in service of our mission to make New York City a safer, more affordable city that is the best place to raise a family.”
The 24-month design study includes a $2 million investment from the city, with the Union Square Partnership contributing $750,000 and the Meatpacking District contributing $250,000 for a combined contribution of $1 million towards the effort. NYC DOT will lead the study in close collaboration with the NYCEDC and the BIDs, with the aim of developing a better pedestrian experience along 14th Street and modernizing anchor public spaces like Union Square Park. The city will begin seeking a consultant for the study this year, with plans to engage the public in the first quarter of 2026 and have capital projects developed by the end of the study.
“The 14th Street busway has already been transformational for New Yorkers, creating a safer, more welcoming street while dramatically speeding up buses and reducing wait times,” Rodriguez said. “This study will help us unlock the full potential of the entire corridor and create a world-class, people-first 14th Street. We look forward to working closely with the New York City Economic Development Corporation and our partner organizations to develop this vision.”
The project builds on the core tenets of the “New” New York action plan, which identified public space and pedestrian improvements as key forces for the city's economic recovery. It also reflects other public-private partnerships to reimagine iconic corridors, which will provide the model for the 14th Street vision plan.