On November 26, 2025, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) held a live and online public hearing on the “Canal Street Revitalization Plan” in Chinatown’s 131 Middle School, together with Manhattan Community Boards 1, 2, and 3. Nearly a hundred Chinatown residents, business owners, and representatives of community groups gathered to provide feedback on the city’s proposed street redesign plans. Elected officials present included State Assemblyman Rong En Li, State Senator Carfana, and Councilmember Marti. The majority of residents expressed opposition, with many indicating that addressing the issue of illegal vendors on Canal Street should be the top priority.
The Department of Transportation stated that the east-west section of Canal Street has been a hotspot for traffic accidents for many years, with two fatal accidents occurring at the Bowery Street intersection this year. Therefore, the city has a responsibility to propose improvement plans. The DOT reported that as of November 21, they had received 610 opinions online, with the majority of respondents supporting the redesign.
According to the plan, the DOT intends to remove commercial parking spaces between Broadway and Elizabeth Street to widen the sidewalks. Canal Street will retain only two lanes in each direction and parking will be entirely prohibited.
However, several community leaders believe that the plan overlooks the actual transportation needs of Chinatown. Chinatown Empowerment Coalition Co-Chairman Jian Shan Chen emphasized that Chinatown is an important commercial area with a large number of transport vehicles, trucks, and medical vehicles traveling daily. The removal of parking spaces will only force vehicles to loop around busy streets, leading to increased congestion. He stressed that the city should first address the issue of illegal vendors on Canal Street and ensure a minimum of 8 feet of pedestrian space even in legal vending areas.
Lee Zhuo Xun, co-founder of the South Canal Street Resident Alliance (NUBC), questioned the DOT’s claim to improve traffic safety without cooperating with the police department and the district attorney’s office to address the issue of counterfeit vendors occupying the sidewalk, stating that “this core of Canal Street chaos has been completely ignored.”
Community leader Yu Jinshan proposed specific improvement suggestions after listening online, including adding safety islands in the middle of Canal Street to prevent vehicles from crossing lanes and to protect pedestrians. He also suggested adding safety pillars at the Bowery Street intersection to address risks caused by vehicles making high-speed turns. Jinshan pointed out that accidents significantly decreased after safety islands were installed on the southern section of Bowery Street, citing it as a successful case to learn from. He emphasized that Canal Street is a major east-west thoroughfare and should “absolutely not” have dedicated lanes for bicycles or electric scooters to avoid squeezing lanes and increasing the risk of pedestrian injuries.
Many residents voiced opposition, receiving recognition and applause from attendees. They requested the DOT to review the plan again and enhance cooperation with the Chinatown community to ensure that the traffic improvement plan truly meets the safety and living needs of the people.
The public hearing lasted for two hours. Some residents at the scene expressed support for the renovation project, especially for the expansion of sidewalks, which they believed would benefit the safety of the elderly for traveling, and also suggested the addition of pedestrian islands to further ensure smooth traffic flow and pedestrian safety. Supporters look forward to the project starting as soon as possible.