A years-long city planning process is about to reshape the streets around Court Square, and most people in Long Island City don’t know it’s coming.
The NYC Department of Design and Construction, working with DOT and DEP, are readying a capital project to calm the traffic around Court Square, making Thomson one-way and creating the borough’s largest level shared roadway.
The project has been in the works since at least 2019, when DOT began street outreach and merchant engagement in the area. The impetus: Long Island City’s 2001 rezoning brought a surge of residential and commercial density to the neighborhood. Our streets were designed for an earlier era, and Court Square, which sits at the convergence of Jackson Avenue, Thomson Avenue, and several smaller streets, became increasingly difficult to navigate on foot as the neighborhood grew around it.
What DOT heard from residents during years of workshops and outreach was consistent: more pedestrian space, more seating, shorter crossings, and better bike amenities. The project is a direct response to that feedback.
Hunters Point Ledger
Local news for Hunters Point South and Long Island City. Not Queens. Not New York City. This neighborhood.
What’s actually changing
The centerpiece of the project is the conversion of Court Square West into a raised shared street: a design in which the road surface is elevated to sidewalk level, eliminating the standard curb line and signaling to drivers that pedestrians have priority. The block runs from Jackson Avenue to approximately midblock, directly adjacent to Court Square Park, which is separately undergoing reconstruction through NYC Parks. Concrete pavement, detectable warning units, and enhanced roadway delineation will make clear that this is no longer a conventional street. Vehicles will still be able to use it for deliveries and access, but the physical design puts people first.
Thomson Avenue between Jackson Avenue and 44th Drive will be converted from two-way to one-way street flowing westbound. The change is grounded in traffic data: eastbound Thomson carries roughly 180 vehicles during the peak hour, while southbound 44th Drive carries approximately 460. Consolidating those flows onto 44th Drive frees up the roadway space along Thomson to widen sidewalks, add a new pedestrian crosswalk, and expand the public space adjacent to Court Square Park. A raised crosswalk will be installed at the intersection of Thomson Avenue and Court Square East.
At Pearson Street and Jackson Avenue, a new signalized pedestrian crossing will be cut through the existing median, connecting the Court Square subway station. This station where the 7, G, E, and M trains stop is a major pedestrian draw. Currently, that median is a barrier which many people hop up and over, or walk down the block; the new cut-through addresses one of the more frustrating gaps in pedestrian connectivity in the area.
The project also includes significant below-grade work: DEP will reconstruct sewer lines, replace water mains, and remove any lead service lines throughout the project area. Stormwater infiltration basins will be installed under the pavement on Pearson Street and Thomson Avenue to mitigate increased rainfall.
On Thomson Avenue, suspended pavement cells beneath the new sidewalk will hold uncompacted soil, expanding the root zones of both new and existing trees. The design, developed in coordination with the city’s LL41 Climate Resiliency Pilot Program allows larger tree canopies to grow over time — providing shade and reducing the heat island effect in a part of the neighborhood that gets significant sun exposure.
Disclosure:
The publisher of the Hunters Point Ledger is a member of Queens Community Board 2. We don’t speak on behalf of Community Board 2 or any other members.
What CB2 requested
The Transportation Committee’s unanimous vote during the March 2026 meeting came with conditions. In a March 17 letter to DDC Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle, CB2 Chair Anatole Ashraf and Transportation Committee Chair Reilly Owens asked that the project include a public restroom, secure bike parking, and an eastbound contraflow protected bike lane as part of the Thomson Avenue one-way conversion. DDC is not required to incorporate these requests, and it’s not clear whether they will without direct resident feedback. Residents who want to weigh in should watch for the project’s next community engagement touchpoint.
Those requests are not part of the current project scope. The board’s letter noted that the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, approved by the City Council last year, already includes a funding commitment for a public restroom in Court Square, and argued that the sewer and water main work in this project creates a natural opportunity to add one. On the bike lane, the argument is practical: converting Thomson to one-way without a contraflow lane would leave cyclists heading east with no organized path, forcing them to mix with pedestrians or vehicles moving in the opposite direction.
What comes next
Design is expected to be complete in fall 2026. A contract award is targeted for winter 2026, with construction slated to begin in summer 2027. The timelines are tentative: the project is still in design, but the direction is set.
During construction, pedestrian and sidewalk access will be maintained throughout the project area. Temporary street closures and parking restrictions should be expected. Water service shutoffs will come with 72-hour advance notice. It’s not clear exactly how long construction will take.
The Court Square Pedestrian Improvements are one piece of a broader public realm buildout underway in Long Island City, which also includes the 46th Avenue Plaza (PDF) in front of MoMA PS1, Dutch Kills Open Space (PDF), and Thomson Avenue bike and pedestrian improvements currently in scoping. Together, they represent the city catching up — slowly — to a neighborhood that grew faster than its streets.
Project Milestones
- 2024 – Preliminary Design Completion
- Fall 2026 – Design Completion
- Winter 2026 – Contract Award
- Summer 2027 – Construction Start
editorial
Our take
The transformation of Court Square from a run-down hardscape park with a broken fountain, to a habitable green space is much appreciated. This was one of the open spaces my family and I could walk about during the first part of the COVID-19 emergency, and I wished we had more green space then.
This plan to create even more space for people is a welcome development.
To our understanding, this will be the largest level shared streets installation in NYC, and will be a good test for those drivers who want to park and drive everywhere. During the presentation to the Transportation subcommittee I wanted to make sure the DOT understood that they should look to more physical barriers to keep cars where they are supposed to be, since paint doesn’t affect behavior at all.
Randy Plemel
Publisher
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The founder and publisher of the Hunters Point Ledger, a newsletter covering Hunters Point South and Long Island City. He serves on Queens Community Board 2, and all views are his own.
