Pandemic-era busways are speeding up bus service by as much as 39 percent.
An article by Streetsblog NYC staff assesses the success of four New York City busways created during the de Blasio administration and made permanent under Mayor Eric Adams.
According to the article, “Bus speeds have improved along all four routes, though the magnitude of the improvement varies by time and location. The biggest overall increases were on 181st Street, where buses now run 30 percent faster during all peak periods eastbound and 39 percent faster westbound.”
The article details how each busway has impacted bus speeds, with some faring better than others. “The top performer among the 2021 busways is on Manhattan's West 181st Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue,” where rush hour bus speeds increased by 30 percent on eastbound buses and 39 percent on westbound buses. Meanwhile, buses on Jamaica Avenue in Queens are only moving 8 percent faster at evening rush hour.
The busways are enforced by cameras, some fixed and some mounted on buses. “Asked about the number of violations issued by fixed-location cameras, the city Department of Transportation provided a total number of violations issued on all four busways for the month of September — 13,217. The agency did not provide a breakdown by route, making it impossible for Streetsblog the gauge their effectiveness.”
FULL STORY: Eyes on the Street: How Are De Blasio’s Pandemic Era Busways Doing?
NYC Bus Service Hindered by Congestion
Sharing lanes with car traffic may make it impossible for the MTA to increase service frequency.
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.
NYC Camera Program Captures 400,000 Bus Lane Violations
Bus speeds increased by as much as 25 percent on some routes after enforcement began last August.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)