A rendering of the proposed busway for 34th Street, at Park Avenue, in Manhattan.
NEW YORK - Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced the City will restart work on a busway on Manhattan's 34th Street, delivering faster, more reliable service for more than 28,000 daily bus riders.
The busway will improve street safety, support freight movement and improve response times for emergency services. The project builds on the City's longstanding investments in bus priority, including the successful 14th Street busway.
"Too many New Yorkers spend too much time waiting on buses stuck in traffic. The 34th Street busway will change that, turning one of our most congested bus corridors into one that actually moves," said Mayor Mamdani. "This is how we build a transit system that meets the scale of our city: fast, reliable and built for the people who depend on it every day."
"34th Street is one of Manhattan's busiest corridors, moving tens of thousands of New Yorkers every day - yet buses are too often stuck in traffic, slowing down commutes and making service unreliable," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "The 34th Street busway will help deliver faster bus service for riders, safer conditions for pedestrians and a more efficient street for everyone who depends on it."
"Every time our bus riders sail across 14 St, they get another reminder that busways work," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "It's time to bring that same great service to 34 St, one of Manhattan's busiest crosstown corridors. We are thankful for the partnership with Mayor Mamdani and NYC DOT to make our buses faster than ever and can't wait for this project to get started."
The 34th Street busway will run in both directions between Ninth Avenue and Third Avenue. In addition to speeding up bus service, the project will deliver significant safety benefits. 34th Street is a Vision Zero Priority Corridor, reflecting a high number of traffic deaths and serious injuries. Between 2020 and 2024, there were 324 traffic injuries along the corridor.
Busways in New York City have increased bus speeds by up to 60% while reducing injuries by as much as 45%. On the 14th Street busway, traffic injuries declined by nearly 60% following implementation.
Once implemented, the 34th Street busway will:
- Operate daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Allow through traffic for buses, trucks and emergency vehicles.
- Maintain local access for cars, with drivers required to make the next available turn to exit the corridor.
NYC DOT conducted extensive public outreach and analysis to inform the project. Comprehensive traffic analysis found that rerouted vehicle traffic can be accommodated on surrounding streets without significant impacts to travel times.
NYC DOT expects to begin public outreach this month, install street furniture later in the summer and complete construction by the end of the fall.
