14th street is about to get a major makeover

Time Out

a day ago

Get ready for a glow-up, 14th Street. The city just announced a $3 million public-private partnership to reimagine one of Manhattan's most essential thoroughfares—and it's not just about sprucing up the sidewalks. The plan is to turn 14th Street into a greener, safer, more people-centric corridor with upgraded pedestrian zones, enhanced landscaping and smarter transit design.
Mayor Eric Adams, along with NYC DOT, NYCEDC, and two powerhouse BIDs—the Union Square Partnership and Meatpacking District Management Association —are backing a 24-month design study that could change the game for the 28,000 daily bus riders and countless locals, commuters and visitors who rely on the street. The city is putting up $2 million (including $500,000 from NYCEDC), with the BIDs adding another $1 million to the pot.
This isn't the city's first makeover moment. The 14th Street Busway has already proved that transit-focused design can pay off, slashing bus travel times and boosting safety. Now, the city wants to build on that success with a holistic plan that includes new plazas, plantings, widened pedestrian paths and preserved bus priority. Call it Broadway Vision 2.0, with a downtown twist.
'The 14th Street busway has already been transformational,' said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. 'This study will help us unlock the full potential of the entire corridor.'
The BIDs are equally bullish. 'We're excited to build on the momentum of our USQNext Vision Plan,' said Julie Stein, head of Union Square Partnership. Meanwhile, Meatpacking District director Jeffrey LeFrancois sees it as 'a vital step in creating a new 14th Street,' drawing from the district's recent hits like Gansevoort Landing and the West 14th Street promenade.
Community input will be key, with public engagement slated to begin in early 2026. Capital projects could roll out by the end of that year, helped along by $9.5 million already secured from City Council and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
New Yorkers can expect 14th Street to join the ranks of Fifth Avenue and Broadway as a showpiece for how the city uses public space. If you've ever dreamed of a more beautiful, livable and walkable Manhattan—this could be the beginning of something big.