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

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 10, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

A line of white wind turbines surrounded by wheat and soybean fields with a cloudy blue sky in the background.

Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal

The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.

5 hours ago - Fast Company

Red and white Caltrain train.

Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification

The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.

6 hours ago - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

View up at brick Catholic church towers and modern high-rise buildings.

Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation

Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.

7 hours ago - NBC Dallas