New York City Prepares for 32,000-Rider 5 Boro Bike Tour 2026 Route
More than 32,000 cyclists are expected on the 5 boro bike tour 2026 route Sunday, May 3, as the 46th TD Five Boro Bike Tour takes riders through all five boroughs and into streets usually open to vehicles. The event will bring extensive closures across New York City, with routes and access points changing around the start in Lower Manhattan.
The tour begins with staggered start waves in Lower Manhattan. Riders heading southbound to the start line are directed to use Broadway for east side entry points, while northbound riders are told to use the Hudson River Greenway for west side access.
Lower Manhattan start waves
Participants assigned to different waves are advised to ride together in the latest wave. That instruction affects how groups move into the start area and is part of the city’s effort to manage a ride that draws tens of thousands of cyclists onto the same route on the same day.
The Five Boro Bike Tour is an annual event that uses streets typically open to vehicle traffic, and road closures are left to the discretion of the New York Police Department. For riders and drivers alike, the practical change is concentrated on Sunday, May 3, when the course runs through all five boroughs.
Sixth Avenue traffic reopening
Officials say Sixth Avenue is expected to reopen to traffic by noon. Until then, the closures tied to the tour will shape travel through Lower Manhattan and beyond as the ride moves through the city.
For anyone planning to move around the city that morning, the clearest step is to build in extra time and follow the designated access streets into the start area. The reopening target on Sixth Avenue gives one fixed point in a day otherwise defined by rolling closures and staggered movement.
