Transformation of Manhattan’s 14th Street With Public Planning Process Launching This Month

An M14D traveling along East 14th Street, at University Place. Credit: NYC DOT

Once-in-a-generation upgrades for pedestrians and bus riders will build off the remarkable success of the 14th Street busway

Since busway was installed, bus speeds have increased as much as 24 percent, with ridership up as much as 30 percent

The transformation of Manhattan’s 14th Street corridor through a public planning process launching this month, known as The 14th Street Plan: Keeping People Moving and Business Booming was announced today. Public outreach will inform a permanent redesign of Manhattan’s 14th Street that builds on the remarkable success of the corridor’s busway. The work will focus on transformational public space and safety upgrades for pedestrians, bus riders, cyclists and more. Since the busway was installed in late 2019, bus speeds increased by as much as 24 percent and ridership grew as much as 30 percent. The first public meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at Pratt Manhattan on 14th Street. More information about the project and a new survey for the public is available at on.nyc.gov/14street.

NYC DOT is currently undertaking a $3 million, 24-month study to develop a once-in-a-generation upgrade to the entire 14th Street corridor for 28,000 daily bus riders and hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers visiting the iconic destinations along the street every day. Design features will include new landscaping, upgraded pedestrian, park, and plaza space, greenery, and safety enhancements that will all complement existing busway operations. As part of the proposal, NYC DOT will also deliver design upgrades to neighboring streets and public spaces that provide connections along 14th Street from Avenue B to Union Square Park, onto Irving Place, Broadway and University Place, over to the Meatpacking District, and into Hudson River Park. The city has committed $2 million to the study, with the additional $1 million coming from Union Square Partnership and the Meatpacking District Management Association business improvement districts (BIDs). 

The city plans to fast-track its redesign process so that capital projects will be developed by the end of the 24-month study. The city has already secured $9.5 million for future capital projects developed through the study, with $9 million coming from City Council, and another $500,000 from the Manhattan Borough President’s office. 

Members of the public are encouraged to join the first public workshop for The 14th Street Plan: Keeping People Moving and Business Booming and can drop in any time during the hours below: 

Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 
Time: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm 
Location: Pratt Institute, 144 W 14th St, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10011

About Union Square Partnership

Union Square Partnership (USP) is a community-based 501(c)3 organization created more than 40 years ago to promote, preserve, and progress its vibrant namesake neighborhood. USP cultivates a welcoming, diverse space and work to enhance livability, ensuring residents, workers, and visitors can revel in the time they spend in the Union Square neighborhood — and feel compelled to make it one of their go-to spots, set up shop, or even call it home. USP fosters a thriving economy, helping create a district that amplifies exciting new businesses and iconic brands, invests in public art, events, and local hidden gems, and acts as a place to explore. Tied to all of this is USP’s celebration of the neighborhood’s distinct, enduring reputation. From Union Square’s residents to regular visitors, businesses to artists, casual strolling to civic engagement, flagship markets to moments in history, Union Square Partnership stewards the neighborhood into a safer, happier present and a future of limitless opportunity. For more information, please visit https://www.unionsquarenyc.org. 

About the Meatpacking District

The Meatpacking District is a neighborhood like no other: a fusion of grit and glam, where old New York meets the frenetic pace of the 21st Century. It has a magnetic appeal. The Meatpacking District Management Association is a business improvement District (BID). It serves the businesses, residents, and visitors of the area with a common goal: to program, promote, and take care of the Meatpacking District. There is a broad community that makes the District distinct. The BID organizes community events and entertainment. It is the partner with the City to maintain and keep clean over 30,000 square feet of plazas and four Open Streets. The teams are on the ground seven days a week sweeping the sidewalks and engaging with visitors. The work, at its core, is to ensure that businesses succeed and the characters who work, live, and play here enjoy it and are happy to return. For more information, please visit meatpacking-district.com.