NYCDOT restarts Madison Avenue double bus lane project

The New York City Deputy Mayor of Operations Julia Kerson and New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn jointly announced that the agency will advance a street redesign project that aims to extend double bus lanes on Manhattan’s Madison Avenue from 42nd Street south to 23rd Street. The project, which had gone stagnate, is designed to make buses faster for 92,000 daily local and express bus riders from all five boroughs.

“The Mamdani Administration is serious about keeping this city moving,” Karen said. “Installing new bus lanes on Southern Madison Avenue will speed up commutes for nearly 100,000 riders a day. That saves New Yorkers time, money and headaches. That’s real impact, and I want to thank DOT for delivering it.”

The project also supports the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) congestion pricing program by making it easier to commute to and through Manhattan’s core without a car.  Flynn announced the redesign will be completed this year. “Madison Avenue is one of the most important bus corridors in the city, yet tens of thousands of riders are crawling along at walking speed,” Flynn said. “It’s time to deliver this project and give buses the dedicated space they need so working New Yorkers can get where they’re going faster.”

Madison Avenue currently features two bus lanes, two travel lanes and one parking lane from 60th Street to 42nd Street, serving 34 local and express bus routes. NYCDOT data shows buses along these routes are often slowed down by traffic below 42nd Street, where riders move at speeds as slow as 4.5 miles per hour—nearly half the citywide average bus speed of 8.1 miles per hour. On this portion of Madison Avenue south of 42nd Street, 55% of people on the street are riding the bus.

To speed up service, NYCDOT proposed extending the double bus lane design south to 23rd Street, with plans to begin installation of the project last year before it was paused. Along with the two bus lanes, the redesign south of 42nd Street will feature one travel lane, as well as one parking/rush-hour travel lane to still facilitate the flow of regular traffic.

“Bus lanes are key to getting buses through traffic and keeping riders moving,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “It’s great news that NYCDOT is moving forward on longstanding bus lane legal commitments to speed up buses on Madison Ave. When paired with bus lane enforcement, nearly 100,000 riders of the M1, M2, M3, M4, Q32 and express buses going to midtown will save time getting where they need to go.”

Data from prior projects shows that double bus lanes can increase bus speeds. After double bus lanes were installed on the neighboring Fifth Avenue, local bus speeds improved between six and 12% and express bus speeds improved between 11 and 20%.

The joint announcement follows the Mamdani administration’s recent moves to revive critical street redesign projects on McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn and 31st Street in Queens.

“Bus riders will get a badly needed boost when the Mamdani administration extends double bus lanes a mile south to Madison Square Park,” said Riders Alliance Executive Director Betsy Plum. “After years of bus priority projects being frozen out, riders who depend on buses every day will enjoy a welcome spring thaw of faster service. And this should just be the beginning. Once summer hits, we look forward to seeing the town painted red, with bold action for bus riders citywide, from Fordham Road to Flatbush Avenue and everywhere in between.”