Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Buses

Bus Lanes Alone Aren’t Enough to Give NYC Buses a Clear Path

4:41 PM EST on January 19, 2017

The M15 runs on dedicated bus lanes on First and Second Avenues on Manhattan’s East Side. Photo: DOT

This short video makes a compelling case to turn 14th Street into a car-free transit priority route when the L train shuts down. Regular bus lanes on a street shared with cars won't be enough.

Judging by this time-lapse shot by the folks at TransitCenter during a recent rush hour on Second Avenue, New York City bus lanes are still de facto drop-off and delivery zones. Watch this M15 driver opt to avoid the bus lane on every single block thanks to vehicles illegally occupying the bus lane:

The M15 is one of 11 Select Bus Service lines with dedicated lanes enforced with cameras. The bus lanes make a difference -- the M15 moves 11 percent faster than it did before -- but they aren't providing a real unobstructed path.

One factor at work may be that DOT and the MTA no longer use bus-mounted cameras. Instead, the cameras are mounted on street poles, so drivers may have figured out where they can park and avoid detection.

Then there's the city's Stipulated Fine Program, which essentially forgives many of the parking tickets racked up by large freight companies. The arrangement creates a gigantic disincentive for the companies to adhere to parking and loading rules.

The biggest shortcoming of NYC bus lanes, however, is that they are so easy to park in. A physical barrier would keep other vehicles from intruding. On First and Second avenues, this would entail setting aside two lanes for a busway (one for locals, one for expresses) as well as median space for waiting areas:

On a two-way street like 14th, the only way to go is to boot cars off and reserve the whole right-of-way for buses, biking, and walking:

Image: BRT Planning International

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Maximum Rage: Delivery Workers Protest Low Wages, App ‘Lockouts’

Couriers with bikes and signs urge the city to step in as Uber Eats, GrubHub and DoorDash withhold work, they say.

March 28, 2024

The Toll of History: MTA Board Approves $15 Congestion Pricing Fee

New York City's congestion pricing tolls are one historic step closer to reality after Wednesday's 11-1 MTA board vote. Next step: all those pesky lawsuits.

March 28, 2024

Company That Fought McGuinness Safety Project Wants to Seize Bklyn Street for Private Backlot

Broadway Stages to Greenpoint residents: "Street safety for me, not for thee."

March 28, 2024

SEE IT: Hit-and-Run Driver With Fake Plate Seriously Injures Cyclist

The 5 p.m. crash occurred at Flushing and Waverly avenue near the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

March 28, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Shakira Shakira Edition

Pop superstar Shakira performed for a crowd of 40,000 packed into the Times Square pedestrian plazas. Plus congestion pricing news and more.

March 28, 2024
See all posts