A judge has ordered the city to scrap a street redesign already in the works in Astoria, Queens.

The construction of a bike lane along 31st Street has had local businesses and cyclists at odds for months. Now, the New York City Department of Transportation has to cease its work and rip up what’s already done.

Judge sides with business owners in lawsuit over street redesign

The DOT plan included a redesign of a six-block segment of 31st Street between 31st Avenue and Newtown Avenue. The DOT said internal data helped identify that section as a one of the most dangerous corridors in Queens, citing 14 deaths or serious injuries and approximately 190 injuries total between 2019 and 2024.

According to court documents, however, a judge has sided with business owners who brought forth a lawsuit and ordered the DOT to undo all the work they’ve already done and restore the street to its original design.

Bike lanes that the DOT already began to build out will now have to be scrapped.

According to court documents, DOT has 30 days to comply. CBS News New York reached out to the department for a comment on the ruling but did not immediately hear back.

Reaction split to judge’s ruling

The 31st Street Business Association released a statement saying, in part, “The 31st Street Business Association is pleased with the court’s ruling, which helps protect the Astoria community from an ill-advised DOT plan that would have made our streets and our community less safe.”

Georgios Kalosis, the owner of Sanemi Modern Greek, is one of many local business owners who raised concerns about the new bike lanes. He said he’s very happy with the judge’s decision.

“We have a business. We wanna thrive. It gives a lot of problems, especially with the parking,” he said.

But many cyclists argue the that the court’s decision to scrap the project is putting lives at risk.

“I was actually clipped by a car yesterday. A lot of drivers just don’t care. They drive very aggressively around here,” cyclist Andrew Littlefield said. “So having a protected lane where there is cars and steel beams in between you and moving traffic makes it so that people of all cycling abilities can ride.”

“Unfortunately, with the ruling of this judge, we’ve just taken a big step back right here,” cyclist Kevin Guo said.

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