96th St. Bus Lane Overhaul From East to West Side Is Finished

A total of 1.7 miles of new offset and curbside bus lanes have been added to 96th St., according to NYC’s DOT. This means that one car lane has been replaced with a bus lane between First Ave and West End Ave., although the DOT says that the final design will not impede traffic.

The route, which spans both the Upper East Side and Upper West Side, already sees 15,500 daily riders on its M96 and M106 lines–making it one of the most trafficked bus routes in the city. The DOT points out that the lines are connected to seven subway lines, 14 other bus routes, two hospitals, various schools, and Central Park.

However, it’s also historically been one of the slowest bus routes in New York City, with bus speeds rarely exceeding an average of 4 mph, making the new improvements necessary in the eyes of public transit users. The DOT has cited the results of a similar overhaul on Lexington Ave., where an offset bus lane reportedly boosted bus speeds by 19 percent.

The bus routes will largely operate on a 24/7 basis, although the eastbound curbside lane between Lexington and 3rd Avenues will only be used between 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“A full bus can move 20, 30 or 40 times as many people as the average personal vehicle. Adding dedicated bus lanes to improve service – so that it’s actually faster than walking – is a no brainer,” MTO Chair Janno Lieber said in a statement on the completed overhaul.

“96th Street is one of the city’s busiest crosstown routes, where bus speeds during rush hours can be as slow as walking,” DOT Commissioner Ydannis Rodriguez said. “By prioritizing 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.”

A stretch of daytime “Neighborhood Loading Zones” were also implemented into the final project, in an apparent compromise with some vocal car-using Upper West Side residents who opposed a chunk of the overhaul. Ellen Harvey, a representative of the 96th Street Neighborhood Coalition, has argued that drivers would be unable to access the curb if the bus lanes were installed; she went on to ask for a two-block carve-out between Amsterdam Avenue and Central Park West at a September press conference.

The loading zones, which will indeed be situated exactly between Amsterdam Avenue and Central Park West, are explicitly intended to “reserve curb space” for matters such as drop-offs and deliveries.

The DOT has made it clear that it is still prioritizing users of public transit with the project, by noting that 74 percent of households on 96th St. don’t own cars, with 68 percent of residents choosing other forms of daily transportation.

The agency has also added “left-turn bays” and “hardened center-lines” to provide pedestrian safety, the DOT said. They will be monitoring traffic conditions after the implementation of the lanes, and will reportedly adjust traffic signals if needed.