New NYC plan promises to speed up buses by up to 20%

A new plan announced by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul promises to speed up the city's buses by as much as 20%, reports Stefanos Chen in The New York Times.

The plan, called "Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service," promises to speed up commutes on at least 50 of the city's slowest bus routes.

As Chen explains, New York City's buses travel at an average of eight miles per hour, making them some of the slowest in the country. The proposal sets goals including 28 new bus lane projects, 2,500 new buses, an expansion of all-door boarding to speed up service and 300 new bus shelters. It also promises five "rapid bus corridors" in underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens. 

The proposed work will involve collaboration between multiple city departments including the Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city's police department. "The mayor’s office said the city had committed nearly $900 million in capital and expense funding toward the bus plan over the next five fiscal years."