NYCDOT begins construction on major redesign of Manhattan’s 96th Street

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) has begun construction for a major redesign of Manhattan’s 96th St., with new bus lanes and pedestrian safety improvements to enhance safety and make service faster and more reliable for riders along one of Manhattan’s busiest crosstown bus routes.

The new design, which will stretch from West End Avenue to Second Avenue, will include dedicated bus lanes in both directions, which cut down on vehicles blocking buses, left-turn bays to facilitate traffic flow and treatments to calm turning drivers’ speeds. The project will add 1.7 miles of bus lanes on the upper east and upper west sides, improving the commutes for 15,500 weekday bus riders on the M96 and M106 routes. Construction is expected to be completed later this year. 

"Bus lanes are one of the best ways to speed up service and the new bus lanes on 96th St. will reduce wait times and improve service for 15,500 weekday riders. These improvements will make commutes faster, more reliable and safer for everyone," said NYCDOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "By enhancing bus and pedestrian infrastructure, we're also ensuring that Manhattan commuters can get to their destinations quicker and safer. Bus riders deserve reliable service to spend less time commuting and more time with loved ones or at important appointments." 

"As we continue to install new bus lanes in every neighborhood, bus riders will experience faster commutes and fewer delays caused by traffic clogging city streets," said New York City Transit Interim President Demetrius Crichlow. "Thanks to the collaboration with [NYC] DOT, 96th St. will soon enjoy two offset bus lanes, helping upper Manhattan residents get to their destinations even more efficiently." 

NYCDOT notes that along 96th St., most residents along the corridor do not own cars and commute by transit; 68 percent of residents commute to work via public transit, walking or biking and 74 percent of households do not have access to a private vehicle. 96th St. serves the M96 and M106 bus routes, which together rank third among Manhattan crosstown routes in ridership. With 15,500 weekday bus riders, the corridor is a crucial connector for the east and west sides, linking riders to seven subway routes, 14 other bus routes, two hospitals, Central Park, schools and other major destinations. Bus speeds are as low as four mph during peak hours.  

To enhance the bus service, NYCDOT will implement an offset or curbside bus lane in each direction between West End Avenue and Central Park West and between Madison Avenue and Second Avenue. NYCDOT says the changes will improve bus speeds and reliability by keeping the lane free of parked or standing vehicles while still maintaining curb access for parking, truck loading and passenger drop-offs/pickups. NYCDOT will implement daytime neighborhood loading zones to better facilitate curb access for deliveries and service vehicles. The design also ensures that traffic flow for other vehicles remains unaffected. 

The bus lanes will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for the eastbound curbside lane between Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue (in effect from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily). The uninterrupted, dedicated space will allow buses to move more efficiently, minimizing lane blocking and improving overall reliability. NYCDOT will also add left turn bays at intersections, helping traffic move more smoothly. The left turn bays, coupled with hardened centerlines will calm traffic, enhancing safety by reducing conflicts between turning vehicles and through traffic. 

NYCDOT will also lengthen bus stops, which will improve service by allowing the M96 and M106 to access the stop simultaneously, reducing delays and improving accessibility. Riders will benefit from increased space to wait, board and exit while buses will no longer block traffic as they wait to approach stops. 

"Bus lanes and busways make New York's streets fairer and safer for everyone," said Riders Alliance Senior Organizer Jolyse Race. "Thanks to [NYC] DOT's redesign of 96th St. to prioritize bus riders and acknowledge the value of our precious time, 15,000 New Yorkers will now enjoy faster, more reliable service. Offset bus lanes are a proven strategy to get riders moving and make more equitable and efficient use of our scarce public space."  

"Dedicated bus lanes are a proven way to speed up the nation's slowest buses and we applaud the New York City Department of Transportation for bringing bus lanes to a vital crosstown route," said Elizabeth Adams, interim co-executive director, Transportation Alternatives. "This project will give a boost to more than 15,000 daily bus riders along 96th St., allowing them to spend more time at their destinations — rather than waiting on buses trapped in traffic. Projects like this are a blueprint to growing bus ridership across New York City, giving New Yorkers the freedom to choose sustainable, high-quality ways of getting around. We look forward to joining [NYC] DOT at new bus lane groundbreakings across the city."