At the stair closure near 108th Street in Riverside Park, a laminated sheet said the closure would last "approximately three weeks." It was dated April 26. By the time West Side Rag published its report on October 1, the outlet counted 22 weeks since that date. On September 21, the city put up a new sign at the staircase with an end date of October 1.
The Parks Department's reason for the closure says a lot about the park this fall. The staircases were shut "to allow for drainage reconstruction prior to the repaving of the asphalt paths." The pipes go in first and the pavement comes after. That order explains most of the fences between 97th and 116th Streets, and the dates on them keep moving because the surface can't be finished until the work underneath is done.
The northern stretch, one phase at a time
The $26 million Riverside Park Drainage System Reconstruction Project covers 108th to 116th Streets and is meant to fix flooding that has troubled the area for years. In December 2025, when the project was a month old, the target for finishing was April 2027. According to a Parks Department spokesperson quoted in West Side Rag's October 1 report, that date has moved to May 2027 because of permit filing delays. The NYC Parks capital project tracker shows the construction phase 38% complete.
Parks has split the work into three phases, each tied to a different path:
- Phase One, the upper path. This is the path just below the west side of Riverside Drive, from 108th to 116th. Posters in the stretch say it ran from last winter through this summer. Residents told West Side Rag it had not ended, and that closures had recently spread south toward 108th. The staircase entrances along these blocks are also closed.
- Phase Two, the Riverside Drive pedestrian path. Posters give spring 2026 through winter 2027. That doesn't match the project's overall May 2027 end date on the Parks tracker. The pathway closest to the park between 108th and 111th Streets was closed recently and will stay closed until next spring.
- Phase Three, the lower path. This closure is expected to start this fall and last until spring 2027. Pipes, concrete and trailers have started to collect in the area.
That means the Drive-side path closure from 108th to 111th and the lower-path closure are both expected to last into spring 2027. The Parks spokesperson said the project was extended "to address grading and drainage issues, additional drainage structures, asphalt pavers, granite block, and expanded tree pits," along with new curb work and sinkhole restoration.
Reactions were mixed. West Side Rag heard relief that the flooding was finally being fixed, and also people wishing the city would say more clearly what's happening. One passerby told the outlet, "I just hope it's done in my lifetime."
97th Street shows the finished version
Eleven blocks south, the project is already complete. The Riverside Park Conservancy lists the new 97th Street entrance as finished in 2026. Starr Whitehouse designed it. It keeps the old symmetrical layout and adds bluestone and granite staircases, an ADA-compliant ramp set into the landscape, and a paved path to the south for cyclists and maintenance vehicles. In the Conservancy's words, the project "additionally resolved longstanding drainage issues."
Right next to that entrance is the clearest example of what happens while drainage waits. The northern half of Dinosaur Playground, at West 97th Street, has been fenced off since a sinkhole opened there during Hurricane Ida in 2021. In 2024 the playground received $8.6 million from the city, Councilmember Gale Brewer and FEMA to rebuild that side, and officials said work would start in 2025. As of October 7, 2026, according to West Side Rag, it had not begun.
The Parks spokesperson's explanation points to drainage again. The closed section belongs to a larger reconstruction "which will include extensive upgrades to the underground drainage infrastructure," and the agency is waiting on final permit approvals. Construction is now expected to start in late 2027 or early 2028.
There is also new money for the half that's open. Governor Kathy Hochul announced $3 million in state funding, through the Riverside Park Conservancy, for the restrooms and upper pavilion. The work includes new lighting and fixtures, accessibility upgrades, roof and terrace repairs, waterproofing, masonry restoration and new drinking fountains. That's separate from the reconstruction on the fenced side, which is still on hold.
How the dates have moved
Every water-related project in this stretch now has an end date later than the first one announced. The pattern is consistent enough that the first number posted on a sign is better read as a hope than a deadline.
| Project | Earlier stated timing | Current status as of October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Drainage reconstruction, 108th to 116th | April 2027 completion | May 2027; construction phase 38% complete per Parks tracker |
| 108th Street stair closure | About three weeks from April 26 | New sign posted September 21 citing October 1 |
| Phase Two, Riverside Drive path | Posters say spring 2026 to winter 2027 | Conflicts with overall May 2027 end date |
| Dinosaur Playground, north half | Construction to begin 2025 | Not begun; late 2027 or early 2028 forecast |
The work with other reasons
Some of the park's disruptions have nothing to do with drainage, and their timelines follow different rules.
At 79th Street, the work is on steel. The NYC DOT rehabilitation of the West 79th Street Rotunda complex is a $150 million project that started in 2022. In May 2025, West Side Rag reported it was expected to finish in 2026. A West 79th Street Block Association notice dated September 1, 2026 said DOT's Division of Bridges would start overnight operations on the bridge over Amtrak around August 31, with abrasive blasting and steel repair to follow around September 7. The work was scheduled from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., with traffic patterns unaffected and possible noise near West 79th and Riverside Drive. The notice doesn't give a new completion date.
For people on foot or bike, the most recent detailed route plan was published in September 2025. In what I Love the Upper West Side described as Stage 2, pedestrians were sent down the south stepped ramp through the plaza to the waterfront, cyclists had to dismount and carry their bikes on that ramp, the 72nd Street cycling connection stayed open, and the north stepped ramp was closed. No newer route plan has been published, so check the posted signs at the Rotunda before relying on it.
Below the Rotunda, NYC Parks lists the 79th Street Boat Basin as closed to dockage, moorage, anchorage and launch service. It is expected to reopen in 2028.
A few other projects to know about, from south to north:
- West 71st Street, Riverside Park South. A new adult fitness area next to the bike path is scheduled to start construction this month. It's projected to finish in October 2027 and will include accessible strength-training equipment.
- River Run Playground. The Parks tracker shows the reconstruction at 50% design, with design due to wrap up in October 2026 and no construction start date set yet.
- 91st Street staircase. Construction began in February 2026 and is 69% complete, with completion projected for February 2027. The tracker doesn't say whether the stairs are open while work continues.
- Cherry Walk. The Conservancy announced it reopened on May 2, 2025. An older NYC Parks detour page still describes the walk as closed as of September 23, 2024, but that page predates the reopening.
What's on the calendar this month
The park's fall programming goes on around the fencing, and one event takes place at Dinosaur Playground itself. NYC Parks' Summer on the Hudson calendar lists free events in Riverside Park from October 11 through December 22, 2026.
- Sunday, October 18, 1 to 3 p.m. "The Garden People: 45 Years in Bloom," an anniversary gathering at the Garden Peoples Garden.
- Saturday, October 24, noon to 3 p.m. The Riverside Park Pup Halloween Parade, held at Dinosaur Playground.
- Saturday, October 31, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Hippo Playground's annual Halloween Parade, at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.
The Riverside Park Conservancy's volunteer calendar has 9 to 11 a.m. sessions most weekdays this month. They include the Compost Compound at West 95th Street on October 12, Canopy Club from West 97th to 120th Streets on October 15, South Park at West 68th Street on October 16, Sweet Spot from West 72nd to 96th Streets on October 21, and Island Vibes from West 97th to 116th Streets on October 22. The October 14 Sweet Spot session is canceled. The October 22 session covers much of the same stretch as the drainage work.
Two avenues east, the 79th Street Greenmarket has been bigger since May 3, 2026, when it extended around the corner onto West 77th Street. It's open year-round on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Many Upper West Side apartments are a block or two from these entrances, so the park's construction schedule is part of everyday life on these streets. If you're weighing a move near Riverside Drive and want to know how projects like these affect specific blocks, The De Niro Team is happy to talk it through with you. Work With Us.
