NYC officials have just proposed a 34th Street ‘busway’ to speed up one of Manhattan’s busiest bus routes, the M34.
Though the M34 may be one of the borough’s busiest routes, serving 28,000 daily passengers, it’s currently one of the slowest. According to the NYC DOT, it moves at approximately 3mph during peak traffic. This is frustrating for commuters who utilize and rely on the city’s public transportation to get to where they’re going.
With a dedicated busway, similar to the one on 14th Street, 34th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues will restrict vehicular traffic, allowing only buses and trucks to travel through this corridor.
“Given the critical need to enhance public transportation infrastructure in this highly congested area of Manhattan, this project would significantly improve the efficiency and livability of 34th Street for both commuters and pedestrians,” wrote all three Manhattan Community Boards 4, 5 and 6 in a letter to city officials.
The 14th Street busway proved a success after its implementation in 2019, creating shorter travel times and reduced congestion. Bus routes along the 14th Street busway saw a 24% increase in speed and 30% growth in ridership. Even crashes in the corridor declined by 42%.
The same positive results could be observed for 34th Street if all goes to plan. MTA NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow expects a 15% increase in speeds with the 34th Street busway that could be implemented later this year.
“The vast majority of commuters in Midtown are traveling by transit and they deserve world-class, fast, and reliable buses,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “After seeing tremendous success on 14th Street—where buses have sped up, traffic has virtually disappeared, and far fewer New Yorkers are getting hurt in crashes—we are excited to propose a similar design on 34th Street. We look forward to refining the design with the community.”
For those concerned about the possibility of greater congestion on surrounding streets, NYC DOT dispelled those doubts with insignificant effects observed following the 14th Street busway.
A 34th Street busway would also lead to other improvements such as painted curb extensions, enhanced visibility at intersections and overall pedestrian safety.
You can learn more about the 34th Street busway on the NYC DOT press release.