An Australian tourist cycling in New York City has died after being hit by a garbage truck as she swerved to avoid a car blocking the bike lane near Central Park.

Police said 23-year-old Madison Jane Lyden veered into traffic about 4:45pm on Friday (local time) when a stopped taxi suddenly pulled out in front of her.

US network NBC reported a friend and passers-by delivered first aid but she was pronounced dead at the hospital she was taken to.

"I was just praying, 'Please God, help her'," one witness told NBC.

"I will never forget that, that gave me the chills."

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio visited the scene.

"It's just disgusting what happened," he told the NBC.

"Here's someone doing everything possible, [she was] clearly driving in the bike lane. We know in some of these cases we've lost innocent people because drivers didn't care."

The channel said the truck driver was "evaluated and is not officially charged".

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it was providing consular assistance to Ms Lyden's family.

New York City transportation advocacy group Transportation Alternatives said it was "a crash waiting to happen" because "lazy and entitled drivers" were parking, dropping people off and idling in bike lanes.

ABC/AP