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

Anatomy of a Busted Bus Lane

The Fresh Pond Road bus lane is similar to the one on Fulton Street in Brooklyn.

Two months after DOT extended the Fulton Street bus lanes from Fort Greene into Clinton Hill, how are they working out? Well, going by a recent spot check, the bus lanes are blocked so much they're practically useless for riders on the B25 and B26.

Taking a cue from a Fulton Street regular and TransitCenter's recent bus lane inspection in Manhattan, I headed over to Fulton Street on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. when the eastbound bus lane goes into effect. I watched for half an hour, making two sweeps of the bus lane between Fort Greene Place and Carlton Avenue, and didn't see a single bus driver use the bus lane for even a single block.

They couldn't -- there were too many cars in the way. One standing room-only bus after another went by in the general traffic lane, getting none of the benefit of transit priority.

Over by Carlton Avenue, NYPD traffic agents were indeed ticketing and towing cars. Maybe, at some point later in the day, they successfully cleared some blocks. But they had an uphill battle. After two months, no habit of mind has developed among the drivers who park on Fulton Street. The bus lane was absolutely crammed with parked cars, and towing cars out of the bus lane one by one takes time.

There are a few things working against this bus lane. It's only in effect for five hours each day, from 2 to 7 p.m., so drivers have to be aware of when the rules kick into effect. Nor does the bus lane stick out and boldly declare itself -- it's not painted red. DOT reserves the terra cotta treatment for bus lanes in effect at least six hours a day. These bus lanes almost made the cut, but local businesses and Council Member Laurie Cumbo pressured DOT to cut three hours of bus priority in the morning.

And like every other bus lane in the city, the Fulton Street bus lane is vulnerable to abuse by people who know how to cheat the system.

This was the first bus to pass after 2 p.m., a B52 which uses the western blocks of the new bus lane. At the time, the bus lane was nearly 100 percent occupied by parked cars.

fulton_blocked_at2

A few blocks east, between Cumberland and Carlton, this minivan with South Carolina plates was the main obstacle on an otherwise clear block. The B26 was thisclose to getting a usable stretch of bus lane:

fulton_funeral_bus

And a traffic enforcement agent did in fact ticket the van. The agent, who was parked in the bus lane, told me he'd been working Fulton Street for two months and that bus lane observance is getting better. Evidence was in short supply, however.

fulton_funeral

As it happens, the "funeral" on the dash of the South Carolina minivan planted a seed of doubt with the NYPD tow truck operator, who was about to haul away this bus lane blocker...

fulton_tow

Before he did, he asked me if I'd seen a funeral. I said I hadn't (I later looked up the nearest funeral home -- it's a half-mile walk away), but he still decided to tow another car instead.

I circled back to where I started.

By 2:30, the beginning of the new bus lane segment -- the block between Fort Greene Place and S. Elliott Place -- was finally clear. But bus drivers still weren't using it:

b52230

Why? Well, there was no point driving in a bus lane for a few feet only to merge around this Ford Escape in NYC Transit livery parked on the next block:

fulton_nyc_transit_van

So that was my half hour on Fulton Street, watching a bus lane that no bus ever used.

fulton_blocked_transit_van

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

SEE IT: Mets Pitcher Sean Manaea Is Just Another Guy On The Subway

As the beloved Amazin's open a crucial homestead, we took a subway ride to Citi Field with a man on whose arm depends everything. The ride, at least, was no big deal for this veteran commuter.

September 12, 2025

DOT Canal Street Plan Adds Pedestrian Space, Bike Route, But Next Mayor Must Think Bigger

The changes are a good start, but Canal Street deserves a radical transformation.

September 12, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: In Spite of You Edition

A new report shows NYC DOT can accomplish a lot when the mayor cuts his meddling. Plus more news.

September 12, 2025

Jay Z-Backed Times Square Casino Shrinks Sidewalks and Bus Lanes to Serve More Cars

New Yorkers aren't only gambling with their future inside the casino: Developer SL Green wants to remove a bus lane and the 19-foot "super sidewalks" installed on Eighth Avenue just three years ago.

September 11, 2025

The Explainer: Council Seeks to Ban Sale of E-Bikes That Can Go 25MPH

A new city council bill would ban the sale of Class 3 e-bikes, which are only allowed in NYC and can reach speeds of 25 mph.

September 11, 2025

West Side Community Board Fails to Back Safety Over Parking

Oh, they're fine with safety ... as long as parking comes first. No, seriously, that's what they did.

September 11, 2025
See all posts