New center-running bus lanes coming to Flatbush Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the work will start in the last week of April, weather permitting, and focus on installing center-running bus lanes between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza.
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Construction is set to begin later this month on a major redesign of Flatbush Avenue. It is a project city leaders say will speed up buses and improve safety for tens of thousands of daily riders.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the work will start in the last week of April, weather permitting, and focus on installing center-running bus lanes between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza.
“Time is money, and too often, our city has taken both from working people who rely on our buses,” Mamdani said. “These center-running bus lanes will give New Yorkers back something precious: time with their families, time at work, time in their communities.”
The redesign will serve about 132,000 bus riders a day, including commuters on the busy B41 line, as well as the B67, B69, B63, B45 and B103. City officials say similar projects have significantly cut travel times and improved safety elsewhere.
“It can often be as fast to walk as it is to take a bus on Flatbush Avenue and with over 100,000 riders relying on the bus to get around, that must change,” Flynn said.
In addition to the new bus lanes, the project includes dedicated loading zones, safety upgrades and about 29,000 square feet of new pedestrian space.
Construction will roll out in four phases to keep traffic moving, with crews removing concrete islands first and rebuilding each side of the avenue one at a time.
Commuters on Flatbush Avenue who spoke with News 12 say they were suffering from long wait times as several buses were running with delays on the packed street, adding that anything to speed up the buses was something they would support.
"I usually give myself about three extra hours on these buses. Today I couldn't, and yeah, it's backed up for rush hour," said Paul, taking the bus back to Borough Park.
"It's ultimately a good thing [to add bus lanes]. I'm sure it'll be inconvenient for a while, but if the buses move faster than we all move faster, I think it's a good thing in the end," said Rachel, as she boarded the B67.
Construction is expected to continue into fall 2026. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes, take public transit or allow extra travel time during the work.
