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NYC to extend Madison Avenue bus lanes to speed up trips for nearly 100K riders
By
Paige Oamek
Published Jan 11, 2026
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Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
By
Paige Oamek
Published Jan 11, 2026
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pledge to make New York City’s buses faster moved a step closer to reality on Sunday.
Transportation officials announced they will move forward with a long-delayed redesign of Madison Avenue, giving buses dedicated space along one of Manhattan’s most congested corridors.
Under the plan, the city will extend double bus lanes from 42nd Street south to 23rd Street by the end of the year. Officials said the redesign will improve speed and reliability for roughly 92,000 daily riders on local and express routes that connect all five boroughs.
Madison Avenue is among the city’s busiest bus corridors. According to the Department of Transportation, buses below 42nd Street currently crawl at just 4.5 miles per hour, about half the citywide average of 8.1.
“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,” DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn said.
The redesign will dedicate two lanes to buses while maintaining one general traffic lane and a second lane that will alternate between parking and a travel lane during rush hour. Officials said the layout will better reflect how people actually move through the corridor, with 55% of travelers on this stretch riding the bus.
Already, bus speeds within the congestion pricing zone, Manhattan below 60th Street, have increased slightly, according to city data. Officials said the new lanes will build on that momentum.
“As a complement to what we have already started in Albany and at City Hall in terms of congestion pricing, it couldn’t be a more perfect marriage,” Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said at Sunday’s announcement in Madison Square Park. “When I think of Mayor Mamdani already, I’m thinking about fast buses. We just gotta do the free part.”
The redesign was originally proposed in 2025 but was paused during the final year of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson said the delay came after the city missed the last painting season.
Transportation advocates praised the Mamdani administration’s decision to restart the project. Officials pointed to a similar redesign on nearby Fifth Avenue, where local bus speeds increased by up to 12% and express buses were up to 20% faster after double bus lanes were added.
“Buses are the silent backbone of this city,” said Betsy Plum, executive director of Riders Alliance. “We are excited to see faster buses that give riders back their time.”
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transportation
Paige Oamek
Paige Oamek is a reporter on Gothamist & WNYC's day-of general assignment desk.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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