A long-delayed busway on Tremont Avenue is now open in the Bronx, bringing faster and more reliable service to thousands who ride the Bx36 each day, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday.
According to the mayor’s office, the busway will improve the commutes of “39,000 daily Bx36 riders,” increasing the speed on a route that historically traveled as slow as 5 mph.
The Bx36 connects riders to nearby subway routes and Metro-North Railroad and the corridor serves a transit-dependent community, with 72% of households not owning a private vehicle, according to City Hall.
The busway operates seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Buses, trucks with six or more wheels, emergency vehicles and Access-A-Ride vehicles can travel the full corridor. Other vehicles, including taxis and for-hire vehicles, can enter only for local access and must exit at the next available right turn.
The project broke ground in August, after being delayed under the Adams administration, and included painted sidewalk extensions, flexible delineators, granite blocks and bicycle parking.
“Two months ago, we announced that the city would finally move forward with the Bronx’s long-delayed busway. Today, it’s officially up and running,” Mamdani said in a statement. “For 39,000 daily riders, that means less time stuck in traffic and more time getting where you need to go. This is what it looks like when we build a city that respects New Yorkers’ time and makes our streets safer for everyone.”
Tremont Avenue was named as a “Vision Zero priority corridor” in the press release, with the city citing four traffic deaths and nearly 630 injuries from crashes between 2020 and 2024. Eight intersections along the corridor and nearby streets were improved to increase safety near the busway.
The city had initially planned to install the busway in spring 2025, but former Mayor Eric Adams’ administration paused the project, saying it remained under review because the city’s Department of Transportation had determined it had not yet received enough community support.