The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) has completed a major redesign of Manhattan’s 96th Street.
Announced by NYC DOT Commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez, the redesign aims to enhance both bus reliability and service speeds, and has seen the installation of offset and curbside bus lanes in each direction, pedestrian safety improvements, new left-turn bays to facilitate streamlined traffic flow, neighbourhood loading zones and structural changes to reduce turning speeds for drivers.
The redesign, which is part of a wider effort to improve public transportation throughout the city as well as reduce the use of private vehicles along roads, adds stretches of 1.7 miles of new bus lanes on the city’s Upper East & West sides.
NYC DOT Commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez, said:96th Street is one of the city’s busiest crosstown routes, where bus speeds during rush hours can be as slow as walking. The addition of dedicated bus lanes will dramatically enhance service for the 15,500 weekday riders who depend on this corridor, making their commutes faster, safer, and more reliable.
By prioritising both bus and pedestrian improvements, we’re enhancing efficiency and safety for everyone who uses 96th Street, creating a better commuting experience for all New Yorkers.
Data has shown that 74% of households along 96th Street do not own a car, with 68% of residents commuting by either public transport, walking or riding bicycles.
The bus lanes are set to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the exception of the eastbound curbside lane between Lexington and 3rd Avenues, which will be in operation between 6:00 and 20:00.
The redesign comes just in time for January’s implementation of congestion pricing throughout the city and is one of 37 projects being carried out by the NYC DOT in order to enhance public transport in New York’s centra business district.
