But transportation officials have postponed any decision on whether to widen the promenade itself, including one option to build decks on top of the girders that run directly above the car lanes. The new report cited Aecom’s finding that a larger promenade would attract even more people and add more weight to the bridge, which could be a problem.

Aecom recommended an inspection of the bridge’s cables before considering any deck expansion, according to the report. The cables, which are original, had already been scheduled for a full inspection in 2019, the first since the 1980s.

“While our engineering study indicates we need further analysis, we are announcing near-term steps to further improve access to the promenade, including an exciting idea for bike access from the Manhattan side,” said Polly Trottenberg, the transportation commissioner.

The separate bike entrance would consist of an elevated lane on the Manhattan side that would run along the edge of the bridge — physically separate from the existing promenade — and then join back with the promenade in an L-shape. It would divert cyclists from the heavily crowded entrance to the bridge, and also reduce any potential conflicts with pedestrians in a sloping section of the bridge where Manhattan-bound cyclists are going their fastest.

The city would create this bike entrance by converting a vehicle exit ramp on Park Row that was closed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks as it leads directly to the area around the headquarters of the New York Police Department. As security restrictions have eased over the years, the city has started to reopen Park Row for public use, including planning a bike and pedestrian pathway there.