NYC to complete delayed Madison Avenue bus lane redesign
New York City is moving forward with a long-delayed project to give buses a dedicated lane along a busy stretch of Madison Avenue. Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn on Sunday announced that the agency will complete the stalled redesign of Madison Avenue, extending double bus lanes from 23rd to 42nd Streets. The upgrades aim to improve the commutes of the avenue’s 92,000 daily riders, a stretch where buses often crawl at speeds as low as 4.5 miles per hour, according to a press release.
Today, Madison Avenue from 42nd to 60th Street has two bus lanes, two travel lanes, and one parking lane, serving 34 local and express routes with riders from all five boroughs. DOT data shows that buses along this corridor below 42nd Street often travel at less than half the citywide average speed of 8.1 miles per hour.
Although 55 percent of travelers along this stretch ride the bus, it currently lacks a dedicated lane. To improve service, DOT proposed in 2025 extending the double bus lanes south to 23rd Street, with plans to begin installation last year before the project was paused. The redesign will also include one travel lane and a combined parking and rush-hour travel lane.
The project was paused, Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson said, because the city “missed the last painting season,” as Gothamist reported.
DOT data shows that double bus lanes can significantly increase bus speeds. On nearby Fifth Avenue, the introduction of double lanes boosted local bus speeds by six to 12 percent and express bus speeds by 11 to 20 percent.
The redesign will build on the traffic improvements the city has experienced since the start of congestion pricing, with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reporting in January a modest 2.3 percent increase in bus speeds across the central business district.
“One year after the implementation of congestion pricing, it is clear that it is working and making New York better,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler said. “There’s less traffic, safer streets, and cleaner air. And it allows us to reimagine our streets for improvements such as the extension of the Madison Avenue bus lane south to 23rd Street.”
The initiative joins several other stalled transportation projects that Mayor Zohran Mamdani has revived since taking office on January 1. Earlier this month, Mamdani announced the city would restore the original “road-diet” plan for Greenpoint’s notoriously dangerous McGuinness Boulevard.
He also revived the bike lane redesign for Astoria’s 31st Street, which had been partially built under former Mayor Eric Adams but was ordered removed by a judge for failing to follow proper protocols.
“The Mamdani Administration is serious about keeping this city moving. 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,” Kerson said. “That’s a real impact, and I want to thank DOT for delivering it.”
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