Pedestrians walk faster than NYC crosstown bus Pedestrians walk faster than NYC crosstown bus

Transportation advocates and local lawmakers including New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, raced a crosstown bus to make the case for a car-free busway on 34th Street. FOX 5 NY’s Richard Giacovas has more on what local leaders and New Yorkers are saying.

MIDTOWN – The New York City Council has approved a plan that would create over 9,500 units of housing and a busway on 34th Street, among other things.

34th Street busway, housing

What we know:

The Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan is a neighborhood rezoning plan that will create over 9,500 new homes, including over 2,800 permanently affordable homes, by allowing residential development in an area of Midtown that does not currently generally allow housing.

Also included in the plan is a busway corridor for 34th Street, where local leaders recently raced the bus to prove how slow it runs.

The busway would only allow buses, trucks and emergency vehicles to use the street for most of the day, freeing the road for the M34 bus.

Other aspects of the rezoning plan include renovations to improve accessibility for subway stations in the area, the completion of a bike lane that runs from 30th to 34th streets along 7th Avenue and an investment in 380 trees. 

Over $448 million will be invested in the Garment District for community and infrastructure improvements as well.

Other aspects of the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan can be found here.

What’s next:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has 30 days to either approve or veto the bill.

If Adams vetoes the bill, it will be sent back to the council – the council can override this veto if it achieves two-thirds of the vote. If the mayor takes no action and the time limit passes, the bill automatically becomes law.

The Source: This article includes information from a New York City Council press release.

TransportationMidtownNew York City Council