The Lincoln Tunnel Exclusive Bus Lane (XBL) was reopened by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) at 6:30 a.m. Sept. 21 to prioritize bus traffic from the New Jersey Turnpike to the Lincoln Tunnel during the morning peak period, as car traffic volume nears pre-pandemic levels across Port Authority crossings.
The XBL was closed in late March when both New York and New Jersey implemented state orders restricting travel to essential workers, resulting in a precipitous drop in automobile traffic by as much as 64 percent. Once the bi-state region began to reopen this summer, automobile traffic at all Port Authority crossings has steadily increased, with July levels down just 15 percent from the same month last year, says PANYNJ.
The XBL is a 2.5-mile contra-flow bus-only lane operated by the Port Authority along Route 495 from the New Jersey Turnpike to the Lincoln Tunnel, giving priority to buses bound for New York or the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Prior to the onset of the global pandemic, more than 1,850 buses operated by more than 100 bus carriers used the XBL daily, speeding up rides by an average of 15 to 20 minutes. Its hours of operation were approximately 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on weekdays.
