Dyer Avenue
| Company type | Roadway |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1937 |
| Headquarters | Manhattan, New York City , United States |
Area served | Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan |
| Owner | Port Authority of New York and New Jersey |
Dyer Avenue is a brief north-south roadway located within Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen district, positioned between Ninth Avenue and Tenth Avenue. Its main function is to facilitate traffic exiting the Lincoln Tunnel. The avenue extends from 30th Street up to 42nd Street, segmented into three parts that correspond with the Lincoln Tunnel’s south and center tubes. The southern portion, spanning 30th to 31st Streets, connects with the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway and is overlain by the Timber Bridge section of the High Line park. Additional stretches exist between 34th and 36th Streets as well as 40th to 42nd Streets, both offering direct routes to the tunnel. Ownership of Dyer Avenue lies with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Description
Dyer Avenue is divided into three distinct segments running between Ninth and Tenth Avenues: from 30th to 31st Streets, 34th to 36th Streets, and 40th to 42nd Streets. The south tube of the Lincoln Tunnel emerges near the intersection of 38th Street and Tenth Avenue, providing direct connections to Dyer’s southern and central sections. Meanwhile, the reversible center tube surfaces close to 39th Street and links into the southbound Lincoln Tunnel Expressway; an exit ramp from this expressway leads onto Dyer Avenue. The north tube, which carries westbound traffic heading toward New Jersey, connects via ramps from the expressway but lacks a direct link from Dyer Avenue itself.
Traffic exiting from the south tube can access Dyer Avenue’s middle segment between 34th and 36th Streets. Vehicles using the center tube also reach Dyer through an expressway ramp that merges before West 36th Street; here, a southbound ramp returns vehicles to both the expressway and southern segment of Dyer Avenue. However, this particular entrance has limited utilization since the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway terminates at West 30th Street without extending to the planned Mid-Manhattan Expressway.
For northbound travel, drivers enter the tunnel via Dyer’s segment between 34th and 36th Streets. At West 36th Street, northbound Dyer merges with a ramp originating from Ninth Avenue that leads onto the expressway and provides access points for both the center and north tubes of the tunnel. Additionally, a ramp from southern Dyer feeds into the northbound expressway continuing toward the north tube.
Beyond West 39th Street heading north, Dyer Avenue accommodates northbound traffic exiting from both the south and center tubes. Just before reaching West 40th Street, ramps offer direct access to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, facilitating bus entry into upper terminal levels as well as vehicle access to parking facilities situated above the terminal’s southern wing. Another sizeable parking garage is located on West 42nd Street opposite Dyer’s northern terminus. Historically, this area was known for squeegee men approaching stopped drivers. The northern portion once featured a weekday evening contraflow bus lane dedicated to center tube access.
History
The avenue derives its name from General George Rathbone Dyer, who served as chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey board and passed away during construction of the Lincoln Tunnel. To establish right-of-way for Dyer Avenue and provide tunnel access, multiple buildings in Hell's Kitchen were demolished prior to the opening of the tunnel’s first tube in December 1937.
In 2003, as part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project, a master plan was released by the New York City Department of City Planning aimed at creating a series of open spaces between Ninth and Tenth Avenues. This initiative envisioned a connected park system stretching from West 39th down to West 34th Street that would include areas adjacent to Dyer Avenue.