Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pledged to make city buses fast and free. He’s hoping his administration can deliver on the fast portion of that promise to the 132,000 Brooklynites who ride the bus along Flatbush Avenue.
On Thursday, the city’s Department of Transportation announced the agency will resume the installation of center-running bus lanes along the avenue at the end of the month.
What You Need To Know
The city’s Department of Transportation says the agency will resume the installation of center-running bus lanes along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn at the end of the month
The new design will add six large concrete islands in the center of the street for bus riders to wait to board. Construction along the stretch between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza began last fall, and will be completed in four phases
The redesign will serve the B41 — one of Brooklyn’s busiest bus routes — and the B67, B69, B63, B45 and B103
The new design will add six large concrete islands in the center of the street for bus riders to wait to board. Construction along the stretch between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza began last fall, and will be completed in four phases.
The first phase will remove two concrete islands at Flatbush and Atlantic avenues. The second and third phases will focus on the construction of center bus lanes and the new bus boarding islands — one side at a time, to preserve two-way vehicle traffic on the other half.
Phase four will include the installation of final markings, signage, signals and street elements, with work expected to wrap up in the fall.
According to the DOT, similar center bus lanes on 161st Street in the Bronx improved bus speeds by 43%.
The Flatbush redesign will serve the B41 — one of Brooklyn’s busiest bus routes — and the B67, B69, B63, B45 and B103.
On average, those buses travel about 4 miles per hour along the stretch.
Once construction begins at the end of the month, the DOT is encouraging drivers who commute on Flatbush to use alternate routes or mass transit.