Chinatown’s notoriously hectic Chatham Square could soon feel completely different. After years of near misses and rushed crossings through tangled traffic, New York City officials have unveiled a bold plan to redesign the intersection. The project aims to make the area safer and calmer by expanding pedestrian zones and simplifying one of Manhattan’s most confusing crossroads.
New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball recently released new renderings that reimagine Chatham Square into a multifaceted, public space that celebrates the cultural heritage of Chinatown.
The way it stands now, Chatham Square features a complex, five-point intersection that ultimately endangers drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians–so much so that traffic cops are regularly deployed to keep cars flowing, with vehicles usually needing to make multiple turns due to the haphazard design of the street.
And though pedestrians account for nearly 80% of users of the intersection—with nearly 10,000 counted during peak afternoon/evening hours—they often must walk long distances to cross the street, often at the same time as a high volume of turning vehicles. NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez stated:
New Yorkers deserve to live in communities with vibrant public spaces where crossing the street doesn’t have to be a complicated, dangerous process. This ambitious redesign of Chatham Square will dramatically improve the pedestrian experience while helping drivers get where they need to go more directly.
The redesign–part of Chinatown Connections, a $55 million overhaul of Chinatown–would do the following:
- Reduce the intersection into a standard four-way intersection
- Provide more direct routes for drivers
- Shorten pedestrian crossing distances to reduce exposure to vehicles and increase accessibility
- Expand available public space for pedestrians and to accommodate public events such as Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival
- Beautify the area with trees and greenery
The Kimlau Memorial Arch, which sits at the heart of the Chatham Square redesign, will maintain its location. New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated:
Today marks an exciting step forward in reimagining Chatham Square as a more vibrant, accessible, and welcoming gateway to Chinatown. This redesign is not just about improving traffic flow — it’s about honoring the cultural legacy of this neighborhood, creating more green and public space for residents and visitors, and strengthening the economic vitality of the community.
Extensive community engagement has guided the development of this design. The city began collecting feedback in May and refined the proposal with the help of the Chinatown Connections Working Group.
Final design and construction are slated for 2027. NYCEDC has chosen architectural firm Marvel to lead the redesign, working with NYCEDC, the DOT, and the local community.