Fast Buses: Mayor Mamdani Breaks Ground on 116th Street Overhaul to get 65,000 Riders Moving

August 31, 2026

What you should know

New bus lanes, protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety upgrades will transform a critical Manhattan crosstown corridor

Rendering of the future design of East 116th Street and Madison Avenue.

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced that construction has begun on a major redesign of 116th Street in Manhattan, including 2.5 miles of new bus lanes and street upgrades that will speed commutes for more than 65,000 daily bus riders across 10 routes while improving safety for everyone traveling along the corridor.

In some sections of 116th Street, buses currently travel at less than 4 mph — slow enough that New Yorkers can walk nearly as fast as they can ride the bus. The redesign will change that. The project will add offset and curbside bus lanes, dedicated traffic signals known as queue jumps that give buses a green light before other vehicles at intersections, protected bike lanes, 35,000 square feet of new pedestrian space and critical street safety infrastructure.

“When your bus is moving slower than you can walk, something isn’t working,” said Mayor Mamdani. “New Yorkers should spend less time in traffic and more time with their families and enjoying the city. This redesign brings together bus lanes, bike lanes, pedestrian space and proven safety improvements because our streets have to work for the millions of New Yorkers who use them every day — however they get around.”

“When buses are fast, it means getting to work on time, making it to an important doctor’s appointment and simply more time with family and friends. Faster bus service matters and we are delivering on Mayor Mamdani’s commitment to fast buses here on 116th Street,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “Buses on this corridor are often stuck in traffic with current speeds almost as low as walking. We look forward to speeding up buses and delivering life-saving pedestrian and cycling improvements that will make this critical crosstown connector and surrounding area safer for everyone.”

“With every street redesign, we’re showing New Yorkers that the City and MTA are serious about better bus service,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Dedicated bus lanes and transit signal priority are proven solutions that are going to make a huge difference for the 65,000 riders who travel on 116th Street every day.”

a map of with labels of B, C, 3, 2, and 6 trains on a colored straight line of 116th street

116th Street redesign project area.

The redesign will benefit riders of the M116, one of Manhattan’s slowest bus routes, as well as the M3, M7, M102, BxM1, BxM6, BxM7, BxM8, BxM9 and BxM11.

116th Street is also a critical connection to the 2, 3, 6, B and C subway lines, as well as the future 2nd Avenue Subway Q train.

Protected bike lanes will be installed on Pleasant Avenue between East 120th and East 116th streets, creating new connections to existing bike lanes serving Randall’s Island and the Harlem River waterfront.

NYC DOT will also improve safety along the corridor by installing three new midblock crosswalks, new traffic signals, pedestrian median islands, a speed hump, on-street bike parking, updated parking regulations to support curb access for drivers and deliveries and hardened daylighting.

A NYC DOT Art mural will also be installed at the intersection of East 120th Street and Pleasant Avenue.

Construction is expected to continue through fall 2026. Drivers are encouraged to use alternative routes, take mass transit or allow additional travel time.

116th Street is one of 50 priority corridors identified for faster bus service in Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Hochul’s Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service, a comprehensive City and State plan to make buses up to six minutes faster on more than 175 routes across the city.

Since January, the Mamdani administration has advanced major projects to speed up buses across the five boroughs, including on Fordham Road, 161st Street and Tremont Avenue in the Bronx; 34th Street, 116th Street, Madison Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan; Marcy Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, Utica Avenue, Church Avenue and Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn; Victory Boulevard on Staten Island; and Broadway in Queens.