One week after announcing his sweeping \u201cNext Stop\u201d bus action plan, Mayor Zohran Mamdani returned to Flatbush Avenue, where construction is already underway on Brooklyn\u2019s newest center\u2011running busway aimed at easing gridlock and speeding up commutes for thousands of riders.<\/p>\n
Just before noon, traffic along Flatbush was nearly at a standstill as crews carved out space for the dedicated bus lanes. Riders say delays have long been the norm.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve waited many times for the bus, 15, 20 minutes, 30, 40. Sometimes they are not in service,\u201d said Belitza, a Brooklyn commuter.<\/p>\n
During rush hour, buses on Flatbush can crawl as slowly as 4 mph, according to city data. <\/p>\n
The Flatbush project is one of five rapid bus corridors the administration plans to overhaul as part of its effort to boost bus speeds by 20% and improve accessibility and comfort for riders.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday we are starting the public outreach for bus rapid transit,\u201d Mamdani said. \u201cWe are going to be delivering bus rapid transit here on Flatbush by 2030, and on Church and Utica as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
City Hall is also carrying that momentum uptown. In the Bronx, officials are reviving the Tremont Avenue redesign, where the BX36 will receive a dedicated bus lane in each direction. The route currently averages about 5 mph.<\/p>\n
The project will include an eastbound busway from Third Avenue to Southern Boulevard, a westbound busway from Southern Boulevard to Belmont Avenue and an offset shared bus and bike lane eastbound from Webster Avenue to Third Avenue.<\/p>\n
The busway will operate seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be open for emergency vehicles, access-a-rides and trucks with six or more wheels. Other regular vehicles will only be allowed to enter for local access. <\/p>\n
Businesses along Tremont have raised concerns about losing a lane of car traffic, but Mamdani said the redesign reflects the needs of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have so many riders on Tremont who are stuck right now in the kind of traffic where it doesn\u2019t even make sense for them to keep taking the bus,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re also talking about a neighborhood where 70% of residents do not own a car.\u201d<\/p>\n