A pilot program to speed transit bus and truck traffic along 14th Street in New York City will begin Oct. 3. The pilot project, which is managed by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), aims to improve service for the M14A/D Select Bus Service (SBS), which began on July 1, 2019.
NYC DOT says the M14A/D is a major transit artery connecting the Lower East Side to Union Square and the Meatpacking District. Currently, the local service along this route is one of the most heavily used in the city, carrying 27,000 riders daily. The M14A was also awarded the 2019 Pokey Award by the New York Public Interest Research Group Straphangers Campaign and TransitCenter. The M14A, which runs along 14th St. and down into the Lower East Side, beat all other bus routes in the five boroughs for moving the slowest at an average 4.3 mph.
Starting Oct. 3, only buses and trucks will be permitted on 14th Street between 3rd and 9th Avenues from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. All other vehicles may make local trips, but must turn at the next available right. The corridor will be open to through trips from all vehicles between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. NYC DOT explains the pilot project “takes an innovative design approach to increase speeds and reliability for the new M14A/D SBS, benefitting the thousands of riders who live and work in the area, while improving safety along a Vision Zero Priority Corridor and retaining an important truck route.”
The Transit & Truck Priority pilot project includes new pavement markings and regulatory signs that limit through traffic except buses, trucks and emergency vehicles during designated times, while maintaining local access for all other vehicles. NYC DOT says left turns off the Transit & Truck Priority corridor will be restricted at all times except for MTA buses at signed locations. The pilot project also includes additional elements such as new pedestrian space around Union Square, painted curb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossings, and plastic bus boarders that enable buses to drop-off and pick-up passengers more quickly and reduce crowding on sidewalks.
New driving restrictions will be enforced through automated bus lane cameras along 14th Street, as well as through NYPD patrol. Camera enforcement violations will be preceded by a 60-day warning period.
