The Department of Transportation has announced the start of construction this week on a new protected bike lane along Bedford Avenue, a project long advocated for by transportation safety groups. The 1.5-mile bike lane will extend from Dean Street to Flushing Avenue.

The project aims to enhance safety for cyclists and pedestrians by creating a designated, protected space for bike traffic.

The project addresses concerns over safety. The DOT says there have been five fatalities along the corridor over the past four years. Additionally, they say 29 people were either killed or seriously injured along the corridor between 2016 and 2020.

Construction crews will start by milling the pavement between Dean Street and Lafayette Avenue this week, with plans to then repave the road. The project also includes the installation of pedestrian islands and new loading zones.

Just this past Memorial Day weekend, police say a man was killed after being struck by both a box truck and an SUV at the intersection of Bedford and Atlantic avenues. It's an area that should experience relief from dangerous driving once the project is complete.

"Today, the paint-only bike lane along Bedford Avenue is dangerously designed, filled with double-parked cars, trash bins, and more – but by the end of the year, a fully protected bike lane will keep riders safe from Flushing to Dean," said Elizabeth Adams, the interim co-executive director of Transportation Alternatives.

The DOT says the redesign should be complete by the end of this year.