Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today broke ground on the redesign of Fordham Road, adding new offset bus lanes from Sedgwick Avenue to Boston Road in the Bronx. The project will make commutes faster and more reliable for 130,000 daily bus riders while delivering critical safety upgrades on one of the borough's highest-crash corridors.
"We're not only promising fast buses, we're delivering them," said Mayor Mamdani. "This year, Fordham Road riders won't have to watch their time disappear in traffic while cars block bus lanes that were meant for people. This project will give 130,000 New Yorkers faster, more reliable commutes every day so they can spend more time doing what they love and less time stuck in traffic."
"Fordham Road buses are a lifeline for many Bronxites, and yet their commutes to work, to visit family and to visit friends are slow and unreliable," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "This redesign will give bus riders much-needed relief with faster and more reliable service while still accommodating vehicle traffic in the area. Where we've installed similar designs, we've seen bus speeds increase as much as 28%, and we'll continue monitoring the corridor for further improvements as needed."
"With this project now underway, Fordham Road is at the center of New York's burgeoning bus renaissance," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "Things are taking off now because we finally have City partners who share MTA's vision for a better bus network, and that starts with more dedicated bus lanes."
"Every change we can make to the street infrastructure goes a long way in improving bus service, whether that be improving speeds, accessibility or reliability," said MTA New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. "Simply put, better bus infrastructure leads to better bus service. And offset lanes like the ones being built here will help improve all three. These lanes mean that 130,000 Bronx riders will get where they need to go faster, more safely and more reliably."
Today, buses on Fordham Road travel as slowly as 5 mph, with existing curbside bus lanes frequently blocked by deliveries and passenger pick-ups and drop-offs. The City will convert those curbside lanes into offset lanes that better separate buses from general traffic while creating dedicated parking and loading spaces to support local businesses. Similar redesigns across the city have increased bus speeds by as much as 28% while reducing pedestrian and cyclist injuries by as much as 30%.
In this section of the Bronx, 62% of households do not have access to a private vehicle, and 71% of residents rely on public transit, biking or walking to get around.
In February, Mayor Mamdani announced the City would restart work on the Fordham Road redesign after years of delays under the previous administration. Construction begins just weeks after the release of Next Stop, the City's historic partnership with New York State to shorten commutes by up to six minutes across 175 bus routes, including Fordham Road.
Since January, the Mamdani administration has advanced major projects to speed up buses across the five boroughs, including on Fordham Road, 161st Street and Tremont Avenue in the Bronx; 34th Street, 116th Street, Madison Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan; Marcy Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, Utica Avenue, Church Avenue and Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn; Victory Boulevard on Staten Island; and Broadway in Queens.
"The Fordham Road redesign will deliver faster, more reliable public transit for the everyday New Yorkers who depend on it most," said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. "In a Bronx community where 62% of households do not have access to a car and more than 70% of residents get around by bus, on foot or by bike, our neighbors deserve service that is quick, dependable and safe. New offset bus lanes will give more than 130,000 daily riders the reliable service they have long been owed, while dedicated loading and parking keeps the small businesses along Fordham Road strong and thriving. I commend everyone involved in advancing this project, and our communities are grateful to the workers who will make faster, safer streets a reality for our communities."
"The new offset bus lanes and redesign of Fordham Road will help thousands of bus riding Bronxites to get where they need to be faster and more reliably," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. "These upgrades will make roads in my district safer for drivers, commuters and pedestrians. I want to thank Mayor Mamdani, the DOT and the MTA for their commitment to faster busses and safer roads for my neighbors and visitors alike."
"Public transit is not simply how people move through a city. It is how opportunity reaches them," said State Senator Robert Jackson. "For the riders who depend on Fordham Road each day, faster buses and safer streets mean more time with family, more reliable access to work and education and a government that recognizes the value of every hour they spend waiting. This project reflects a fundamental principle of public service: our streets must serve the many, not merely accommodate the few. I commend Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn for advancing a redesign that places working people, public safety and the future of the Bronx at the center of our transportation policy."
"For too long, buses on Fordham Road have crawled along at speeds as slow as 5 miles per hour," said Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia. "This project will speed up commutes for 130,000 daily riders, deliver critical safety upgrades and create dedicated parking and loading spaces to support our small businesses. Fordham Road is a vital corridor for our community where most residents rely on public transit, and this redesign will finally give it the investment it deserves."
"The Bronx deserves transportation that is fast, safe and reliable," said Assemblymember George Alvarez. "Every day, thousands of residents in our district depend on Fordham Road to get where they need to go, yet too many have spent years stuck in traffic or navigating unsafe streets. This redesign is about putting our community first by investing in safer roads, faster bus service and a stronger local economy. For far too long, other boroughs have received millions of dollars in investments for roadway resurfacing, pedestrian plazas, enhanced lighting, streetscape improvements and countless other infrastructure projects, while communities in the Bronx have too often been left waiting. Today's groundbreaking represents an important step toward ensuring our borough receives the same level of attention and investment that every New Yorker deserves. I applaud NYC DOT and Mayor Mamdani for moving this long-overdue project forward and for recognizing that the Bronx deserves meaningful investments in its infrastructure. By improving bus service for more than 130,000 daily riders while making Fordham Road safer for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and local businesses, we are building a transportation system that better serves the hardworking families who call the Bronx home."
"We're ecstatic that the long-awaited Fordham Road bus project is finally becoming a reality," said Anna Berlanga, Bronx & Uptown Organizer for Transportation Alternatives. "With faster buses, Bronx residents will be able to more quickly and reliably travel to school, to work, to the doctor or just to one of the many local stores on one of the strongest commercial corridors in the city. Fordham Road is also the most dangerous street for pedestrians in the Bronx, and these improvements will transform a dangerous street into one that's safe for everyone."
"Fordham Road is one of the busiest bus corridors in New York City, and 130,000 daily riders should not have to accept buses crawling along at five miles per hour as the status quo," said Kate Slevin, Executive Vice President of Regional Plan Association. "This redesign will give buses the space they need to move, while making one of the Bronx's most dangerous corridors safer for everyone who uses it. In a community where nearly two-thirds of households do not have access to a private vehicle, faster and more reliable bus service is fundamental to expanding access to jobs, education and opportunity. RPA applauds the Mamdani administration and NYC DOT for moving this long-delayed project forward and continuing to prioritize the bus improvements New Yorkers need."
"Fordham Road is one of the Bronx's most important commercial and transit corridors and improving bus reliability and street safety can deliver meaningful benefits for residents, workers and businesses alike," said Lisa Sorin, President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. "The inclusion of dedicated parking and loading spaces is especially important for the small businesses that depend on reliable deliveries and customer access. As construction moves forward, the Bronx Chamber looks forward to working with NYC DOT to ensure implementation is coordinated, clearly communicated and responsive to the day-to-day realities of the businesses operating along the corridor."
"Getting 130,000 daily bus riders moving faster and more reliably is a critical step forward, and we're glad to see this long-delayed project moving ahead," said Jackson Chabot, Director of Advocacy and Organizing at Open Plans. "New York has an enormous opportunity to make transit faster and more attractive while reducing our reliance on cars. Delivering on that vision will require not only dedicated bus lanes and true Bus Rapid Transit across all five boroughs, but also holistic curb reform and automated enforcement to keep those lanes clear and moving. Together, these tools can give more New Yorkers a fast, reliable alternative to driving and make real progress on reducing vehicle miles traveled."
"Fordham Road is one of New York City's busiest bus routes - and also one of its slowest," said Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC. "People who rely on the bus to get around the Bronx deserve better, so we're thrilled to see NYC DOT breaking ground on major improvements to Fordham Road, which will both speed up trips for more than 100,000 daily riders and make the entire corridor safer for everyone who uses it. Fordham Road is a critical facet of the Mamdani administration's plans to significantly improve bus service citywide, and we tip our caps to Commissioner Flynn and the NYC DOT team for getting this project underway."
