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If you’ve ever braved the Hudson River Greenway around West 54th Street, you probably know the spot—the one where cyclists, joggers, cars and cruise passengers all collide in a blur of confusion and near-misses. Good news: That mess has finally been cleaned up.
The city has untangled one of the greenway’s worst choke points, rerouting cyclists and pedestrians under an overpass that dips beneath the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. The newly smoothed-out stretch is part of a $350 million redevelopment of Pier 94, home to what will soon be Sunset Pier 94 Studios, a state-of-the-art film and TV campus opening by year-end.
The fix brings relief to the estimated 7,000 riders who use the Hudson River Greenway daily, making it the busiest in the country. For longtime users, it’s been a long time coming. “It was a mess. There was no rhyme—it was no good,” 63-year-old cyclist Mike Derewianik told Gothamist after catching his breath after crossing from New Jersey. Another rider, Paula Young, agreed: “I think it’s great. It’s smooth… A lot, lot more bicyclists now use the path.”
The improvement is one of the first major upgrades tied to the city’s new Greater Greenways plan, which is the first comprehensive greenway master plan in 30 years. The 2025 blueprint, developed by the Department of Transportation, Parks & Recreation and the Economic Development Corporation, aims to expand New York’s 506-mile network of car-free routes into a fully connected system that’s “equitable, accessible and comfortable for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities.”
“This project will not only spur the growth of the film and TV industry right here in New York,” said EDC spokesperson Seth Schuster, “but is already delivering much-needed public realm improvements—like the wonderful, improved greenway—that New Yorkers can enjoy every day.”
The studio project—backed by Vornado Realty Trust, Hudson Pacific Properties and Blackstone—is expected to generate more than 1,700 jobs and contribute $300 million annually to the local economy. It’ll also bring public restrooms for Hudson River Park, new waterfront open space and 25,000 square feet of public access on the pier.
After decades of dodging traffic at the city’s most scenic bottleneck, New Yorkers can finally cruise through this stretch of the Hudson River Greenway without white knuckling their handlebars.