A new greenway project expected to make over a corridor of the Harlem River between the Bronx and Upper Manhattan was announced recently by New York Mayor Eric Adams, adding an important new cog in his administration’s ‘20-20 Vision Zero’ plan that aims to improve and increase pedestrian access across the city.

The project will take shape over the next decade and will bring better bicycle pathways to several bridges in the seven-mile-long area. The plan calls for nodes at Van Cortlandt Park to the north and Randall’s Island to the south. The city will commence a public engagement process beginning April 18th and says it is an important step in reconnecting communities that have been divided by the Federal highway system since the 1930s.

“This administration continues to deliver for all five boroughs, and expanding the Harlem River Greenway to the Bronx is a huge win for equity and justice,” Mayor Adams said at a press conference. “Our administration is leading the way in undoing the devastation caused by highways like the Cross-Bronx Expressway, the BQE, and now the Deegan — reversing the devastation left by others in communities of color. Greenways help us move forward while righting the wrongs of the past, give people a place where they can exercise and breathe freely, and create a sense of community by bringing people together. That’s what the Bronx deserves and what this project will deliver.”

An Image put forth by the city appears to show a path that runs along the Major Deegan Expressway, although the route is not official. The plan will be finalized next year. The city said it does not have a project budget or expected completion date at this time.

“We can never go back in time to reverse the systemic harm caused by the construction of highways that divided entire communities — like the Bronx — and forever changed their trajectory,” Congressman Ritchie Torres said finally. “But we can be intentional about how we move forward to reconnect these communities in a way that enriches their surroundings, creates vital greenspaces, and improves the quality of life for people who live there. I’m encouraged to see a plan from the city moving forward that promises to provide new and improved access to the waterfront for Bronxites for the first time in decades while offering safe and convenient recreational and transportation opportunities. My gratitude to all involved for making it happen.”