Mamdani Administration Begins Work on Lexington Avenue Bus Lane Upgrades

NEW YORK - Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced work has begun to upgrade bus lanes on eight blocks of Lexington Avenue, from 60th Street to 52nd Street.

The project will replace existing curbside bus lanes with offset bus lanes, helping keep lanes clear of illegal parked vehicles and speeding up bus service for 71,000 daily riders traveling from the Bronx, Staten Island and Manhattan.

"New Yorkers deserve buses that move quickly and reliably, not buses stuck in traffic because someone decided to treat a bus lane like a parking spot," said Mayor Mamdani. "Offset bus lanes work because they keep lanes clear and buses moving. This is exactly the kind of small-but-mighty fix that makes life better for working people across our city."

"Upgrading bus lanes from curbside to offset speeds up buses and keeps pedestrians safe," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. "This project will benefit tens of thousands of riders who rely on Lexington Avenue to get to work, see family and enjoy all our city has to offer."

"The Mamdani administration will be thinking big on the next generation of bus service, but we also have to get the little things right. The existing curbside lanes on Lexington Avenue are often blocked, leading to bus speeds that are only just slightly faster than walking for more than 70,000 bus riders relying on the corridor each day," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. "When we've delivered similar upgrades, we've seen tremendous benefits for better bus service and safer streets. We look forward to continued partnership with the MTA to deliver faster, more reliable service across the city."

The redesign follows a similar upgrade completed in 2019 on Lexington Avenue from East 96th Street to East 60th Street. After NYC DOT converted that corridor from curbside to offset bus lanes, bus speeds increased by 26% and pedestrian injuries declined by 35%.

This stretch of Lexington Avenue serves eight bus routes from the Bronx, Staten Island, and Manhattan: BxM1, M101, M102, M103, SIM11, SIM22, SIM26, and SIM6. Bus speeds along the corridor average just 5 mph during daytime hours because vehicles frequently block the existing curbside lane for deliveries, pickups and drop-offs.

Under the new design, this portion of Lexington Avenue will include two parking lanes, one bus lane and two general travel lanes.

The Lexington Avenue project is one of several bus lane redesigns now underway across the city as the spring construction season ramps up. NYC DOT recently began work on bus lane upgrades along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. The agency has also committed to redesigning bus lanes on Fordham Road in the Bronx later this year.

"Too many New Yorkers spend far too long stuck on slow, unreliable bus commutes because bus lanes are routinely blocked by double parking and vehicle traffic," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "These upgrades on Lexington Avenue will help keep buses moving for the tens of thousands of riders who depend on them every day while making this busy corridor safer and more efficient for everyone. I'm grateful to Mayor Mamdani, Commissioner Flynn and Manhattan Borough Commissioner Danielle Zuckerman for continuing to prioritize faster, safer and more reliable public transit for New Yorkers."

"New Yorkers deserve a bus system that is fast and reliable," said Council Member Virginia Maloney. "These speed and safety upgrades on Lexington Avenue will benefit tens of thousands of daily riders. For many straphangers - including for many senior New Yorkers - buses are the most convenient and accessible way to travel, and investments like this are critical to keeping Manhattan moving."

"Moving buses off the curb and toward the center of the road saves riders valuable time," said Danny Pearlstein, Policy & Communications Director for Riders Alliance. "Manhattan's buses are the nation's slowest, and these bus lane upgrades mark an important step toward the fast buses New Yorkers deserve. Prioritizing Lexington Avenue bus riders, who have some of the longest commutes, over double-parked cars, is a welcome advance for economic justice, the hallmark of the Mamdani administration."

"Bus riders on Lexington Avenue deserve fast and reliable buses," said Emily Jacobi, Senior Organizer at Transportation Alternatives. "We're excited that the successful redesign on Lexington north of 60th Street will extend further downtown. We're fighting for a Miracle in Midtown that reduces traffic, increases safety and speeds up commutes for the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who live or work in the area, and this project is a critical step forward for a Midtown that works for everyone."

"The historic bus boom continues as NYC DOT advances bus lane improvements on the first stretch of Lexington Avenue that enters the congestion relief zone," said Rachel Weinberger, Vice President of Research Strategy at Regional Plan Association (RPA). "The offset design change will help the buses avoid illegally parked cars and the new street design will reduce double-parking. The improvement means a better ride for the more than 71,000 daily riders on the route. Bus lane offsets are proven to increase bus speeds while also helping protect pedestrians."

"The bus lane upgrade on Lexington Avenue will have a meaningful impact on the daily lives of 71,000 New Yorkers, giving them faster and safer commutes throughout the city," said Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of Open Plans. "Reimagining the existing space to better serve bus riders (and minimize illegal parking) is a forward-thinking example of good curb management."

"Today's announcement that Lexington Avenue's offset bus lane will be extended south from 60th to 52nd Street is more good news for New Yorkers who rely on the bus," said Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC. "The changes will improve commutes for tens of thousands of daily riders on numerous Lexington Avenue routes, and the redesign will likely have safety benefits for pedestrians as well. We applaud the work that Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn are doing to upgrade bus service across New York City."