After nurse's death, city unveils sweeping Third Avenue redesign

24/7 LiveNew York CityNew JerseyLong IslandNorthern SuburbsConnecticut TRAFFICAfter nurse's death, city unveils sweeping Third Avenue redesignJoe Torres has more on the safety upgrades.Wednesday, October 28, 2026 9:13PMShareFollow abc7NY on GoogleSUNSET PARK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A dangerous stretch of Third Avenue in Sunset Park that has been the focus of safety concerns for years will undergo a sweeping redesign following the death of a 28-year-old nurse who was killed in a hit-and-run crash while walking home from work, city officials announced.The plan will significantly reduce vehicle traffic lanes, add protected bike lanes and shorten pedestrian crossings along a 2.1-mile corridor that has seen 17 traffic deaths over the past decade.Under the overhaul, Third Avenue will be reduced from as many as eight travel lanes to four. The redesign will add protected bike lanes in both directions while keeping parking lanes on either side of the street. Pedestrian crossing distances will also be shortened in an effort to improve safety for people walking and biking.Construction will be completed in two phases. Work on the southern section of Third Avenue, between 62nd and 43rd streets, is scheduled to begin next year. The northern segment, from 43rd Street to 20th Street, is slated for 2028. Additional bike lanes will also be installed on 60th Street between Second and Fourth avenues.The announcement comes less than two months after Jiayi Zheng, a 28-year-old nurse at NYU Langone Brooklyn Hospital, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while crossing Third Avenue after completing an overnight shift. Police said Zheng had the right of way and had successfully crossed the first of three crosswalks before she was hit by a speeding black Cadillac.Chantee Lans has the details.Her death reignited calls from healthcare workers, residents and transportation advocates to address long-standing safety concerns on the corridor. According to Transportation Alternatives, Zheng was the 11th person killed while walking or biking along the two-mile stretch of Third Avenue since 2014. The group also noted that another NYU Langone Brooklyn Hospital employee, nurse practitioner Clara Kang, was fatally struck on the avenue while biking home from work in 2021.A similar redesign was proposed during the Adams administration but was abandoned in 2025 after facing opposition from some local business owners."Seventeen people have lost their lives along this corridor in a decade. That cannot continue. Starting next year, we will transform Third Avenue to protect pedestrians, cyclists and drivers," Mayor Mamdani said in a statement. "We know what keeps New Yorkers safe on our streets: calmer intersections, shorter crossings, protected bike lanes and ambitious redesigns that put people first."For many of Zheng's coworkers, the redesign comes after years of concern about crossing a roadway they describe as intimidating and dangerous."I feel scared. I'm feeling scared crossing this poor road, this stretch of road all at once. It's scary," one nurse previously told Eyewitness News.----------* More Brooklyn news* Send us a news tip* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Download our connected TV app Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness NewsHave a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.Top StoriesFormer NYPD sergeant sentenced in fatal Taconic Parkway crash1 hour agoAbout 14 arrested after protesters block traffic on Brooklyn Bridge10-year-old dies after lithium-ion battery fire in Bronx apartment; 4 critical9 minutes agoReport a correction or typoCopyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.Related Topics TRAFFIC SUNSET PARK TRAFFIC FATALITIESWatch LiveON NOWTop StoriesFormer NYPD sergeant sentenced in fatal Taconic crash1 hour agoAbout 14 arrested after protesters block Brooklyn Bridge10-year-old boy killed in Bronx e-bike battery fire; 4 others critical9 minutes agoBottle thrown at school bus injures child26 minutes agoGun found on campus sparks concerns33 minutes agoBloomfield Halloween display sparks controversy1 minute agoHayden Panettiere's death investigation closed by South Carolina police3 minutes agoNYC Marathon brings major travel changes1 hour ago