City work crews completed the construction of a “busway” on Tremont Ave. in the Bronx over the weekend, finishing a project meant to speed up one of the city’s slowest bus routes.
Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week, only buses, access-a-ride vans, large trucks and bicycles are now permitted to run the length of Tremont Ave. between Southern Blvd. and Third Ave. for eastbound traffic, and between Southern Blvd. and Belmont Ave. for westbound traffic, officials said.
All other vehicles — including private cars, taxis and rideshares — can enter Tremont Ave. for local travel only, and must take their next available right turn.
The bus-priority design was first floated during the Adams administration, but was shelved in 2025.
“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,” Mayor 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,” he added.
Tremont Ave. is home to the Bx36 bus route — which typically carries 39,000 people a day at a speed of roughly 5 mph. According to city data, 72% of households in the area do not report owning a car.
Regardless of the new driving restrictions, parking is still permitted along the busway section of Tremont Ave.
The project also included curb extensions and other pedestrian safety measures at eight intersections along the route.
The city’s Transportation Department considers Tremont Ave. a “priority corridor” for safety improvements given the frequency of injuries along the street. Four people were killed and roughly 630 people were injured in crashes along Tremont Avenue between 2020 and 2024, according to city data.