New York City’s Buses Are Speeding Up

New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is renewing efforts to create more bus lanes and dedicated busways in the city.

2 minute read

May 30, 2022, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


14th Street Busway New York City

Busway in New York City. | Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit / Flickr

“In January 2021, the busiest portion of Flushing’s Main Street became a ‘busway,’ meaning only buses, trucks and emergency vehicles are allowed past a certain point,” writes John Surico for Bloomberg CityLab. “Within months, the city reported speed gains of up to 31%. As of May, it’s up 50% at the afternoon peak, according to a city Department of Transportation spokesperson.”

As Surico describes, “The busway treatment was part of Better Buses Restart, the reactivation of New York City’s service improvement plan from 2018, which screeched to a halt in March 2020.” Prior to the plan, “The five-borough network hadn’t been touched in decades, leaving the system out of sync with where New Yorkers were actually going; work and living patterns have shifted dramatically, a process that the pandemic accelerated further.”

However, “Like the subway, New York’s buses are trapped in a jurisdictional battle: the (state) MTA controls the routes and fleet, but the (city) DOT is in charge of the streets. Knowing who controls what can be tricky. And collaboration can leave much to be desired: The MTA called for 60 miles of new bus lanes, but so far the city has only delivered about 20 miles.” Last August, DOT and MTA pledged to build or improve 20 new miles of bus lanes or busways in 2022. “DOT officials said the major focus this year will be the Bronx, given the redesign launch in June. They are also rolling out bus priority projects in Manhattan and Queens, and more busways are in development.”

Advocates warn that “Finding a way to keep cars out of bus- and truck-only corridors is critical to making them work,” and the MTA is investing in automated traffic enforcement to crack down on drivers who illegally enter bus lanes.

Last year, the agency also introduced a contactless payment system that streamlines onboarding and reduces the time buses are stopped as passengers board, although the program’s all-door boarding component has not yet been put into action.

“In interviews, advocates seem both motivated and anxious by the progress that the system has made, and the scale of the work still left to do.” While the system is still well below pre-pandemic ridership revenue, the MTA expects to receive millions once the city launches its congestion pricing program.

Friday, May 27, 2022 in Bloomberg CityLab

Aerial view of snowy single-family homes in suburban Long Island, New York

New York Governor Advances Housing Plan Amid Stiff Suburban Opposition

Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious proposal to create more housing has once again run into a brick wall of opposition in New York’s enormous suburbs, especially on Long Island. This year, however, the wall may have some cracks.

March 20, 2023 - Mark H. McNulty

Empty parking garage at night with yellow lines marking spots and fluorescent lighting

Rethinking the Role of Parking in the American City

In cities big and small, the tide is turning against sprawling parking lots, car-centric development, and minimum parking mandates.

March 16, 2023 - The New York Times

A futuristic version of New York City, with plants growing neatly on top of modern skycrapers.

Friday Eye Candy: 20 AI-Generated Cityscapes

AI-generated images are creating new landscapes and cityscapes, capable of inspiring awe or fear.

March 17, 2023 - Chris Steins via Medium

Aerial view of farmers' market with white booths in downtown Boise, Idaho

Planners Look to ‘Activity Centers’ for Sustainable Development

Existing hubs of ‘hyperlocal’ economic activity provide a model for urban density.

March 23 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of person sitting on electric bike

Federal E-Bike Rebate Bill Reintroduced

The bill, part of an effort to encourage active transportation for short trips and take cars off U.S. roads, would cover 30 percent of the cost of an electric bike.

March 23 - Congressman Jimmy Panetta

High Point, Seattle

Green Infrastructure Toolkit Launches on World Water Day

The Green Infrastructure Toolkit lists 25 actions local governments can take to transform crusty, impermeable urban landscapes into vibrant, spongy ecosystems that preserve water as a resource and protect against its potential destruction in floods.

March 23 - PlaceShakers and NewsMakers

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

HUD’s 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.