20 Miles of Bus Lanes and Car-Free Busways Coming to New York City

While it falls short of a more ambitious proposal pitched by the MTA recently, a new plan to expand bus priority on the streets of New York City would mark a significant expansion of a trend that started on 14th Street in Manhattan.

1 minute read

June 10, 2020, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


14th Street Busway New York City

Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit / Flickr

"Mayor de Blasio says he’ll create 20 miles of car-free busways and dedicated bus lanes across the city, starting this month — and make the successful 14th Street busway permanent," reports Gersh Kuntzman. 

The total mileage falls short of the 60 miles of bus lanes and busways requested recently by the MTA, "but it's a start," according to Kuntzman. 

The first new addition will be a busway on Main Street between Sanford and Northern Boulevard in Flushing. Car-free stretches of 1) Jamaica Avenue from Sutphin Boulevard to 168th Street; 2) Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, from 57th to 34th streets; 3) Jay Street in Brooklyn, from Fulton to Tillary streets; and 4) E. 181st St. in Manhattan, from Amsterdam Avenue to Broadway will follow, adding up to 3.5 miles of car-free streets.

Bus lanes will be added on 16.5 miles of streets: 1) 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue C; 2) 149th Street in the Bronx from Southern Boulevard to River Avenue, 3) Merrick Boulevard in Queens from Hillside Avenue to Springfield Boulevard, and 4) Hylan Boulevard in Staten Island from Lincoln Avenue to Nelson Avenue.

More on the decision-making process and the response of a few advocacy organizations is included in the article.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in StreetsBlog NYC

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

7 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation