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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 20, 2026 | The Indian Eye 18

Mamdani Restarts Four Stalled Bus and

Bike Lane Projects in Bronx and Brooklyn

City says long-delayed street redesigns will speed up buses for 130,000 daily riders and

improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists

NEW YORK

ayor Zohran Mamdani an-
nounced that New York
MCity will restart construc-
tion on four previously stalled bus and
bike lane projects in the Bronx and
Brooklyn, signaling a renewed push to
expand dedicated bus infrastructure
and protected cycling routes across
the city.
Standing in the Bronx, Mamdani
said the projects — which had been
halted amid political disputes and
delays — will now move forward this
spring. The redesigns are expected to
benefit approximately 130,000 daily
bus riders while improving safety for
pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
“For too long, New Yorkers have Fordham Road is the busiest bus corri- Road every day,” Lieber said, adding be rolled out across Midwood, Flat-
been told to wait as long overdue im- dor in the Bronx, serving an average of that pro-transit leadership at City Hall bush and East Flatbush, neighbor-
provements to our transit system were 130,000 daily riders across four routes: is critical to improving service. hoods represented by Brooklyn Com-
blocked time and again. That ends the Bx12, Bx9, Bx17 and Bx22. The In Brooklyn, the city will com- munity Boards 14 and 17. Despite
now,” Mamdani said. “Today, we’re corridor runs through neighborhoods plete the final block of the protected high cycling rates, these areas have
moving forward with faster, more reli- where a majority of residents rely on bike lane on Ashland Place in Fort limited dedicated bike infrastructure.
able buses for the 130,000 New York- public transportation. According to Greene — a stretch informally known This spring, DOT will imple-
ers who depend on them every single the city, 62 percent of households in as “Crashland” due to past safety con- ment a long-delayed network that in-
day. Today, we build safer streets for the area do not have access to a pri- cerns. The redesign will convert the cludes parking-protected bike lanes
New Yorkers who walk, bike, or drive vate vehicle, and 71 percent of resi- southernmost block from a two-way on Cortelyou and Dorchester roads
in their own neighborhoods.” dents rely on transit, biking or walking. to a one-way street and add a two-way in Ditmas Park, running from Coney
The projects include a major re- Under the plan, DOT will in- protected bike lane. Island Avenue to Flatbush Avenue.
design of Fordham Road in the Bronx, stall offset bus lanes along Fordham Once completed, the segment Standard bike lanes will be added to
the completion of a key protected bike Road between Sedgwick Avenue will create a continuous protected 14 additional streets across Flatbush,
lane segment in Fort Greene, and new and Boston Road. Unlike curbside bike route stretching from Sunset East Flatbush and Midwood, along
bike infrastructure in Central Brook- lanes, offset lanes are placed away Park to DUMBO, with connections with intersection upgrades designed to
lyn and the neighborhoods of Mid- from the curb, reducing conflicts with to Greenpoint and Queens. The improve visibility and reduce crashes.
wood, Flatbush and East Flatbush. double-parked vehicles and loading project also includes converting the Protected bike lanes have been
City officials framed the restart as activity. Traffic analysis by DOT indi- last block of Hanson Place into a shown to reduce traffic deaths and
part of a broader effort to prioritize cates that offset lanes provide greater “shared street,” expanding pedestrian serious injuries by 18 percent for all
public transit riders and street safety. improvements in speed and reliability. space and enhancing the public realm. street users, according to city data.
NYC Department of Transportation A similar conversion on Hillside Ave- Advocates say the Ashland Place In Central Brooklyn, DOT will
Commissioner Mike Flynn said the nue in Queens increased bus speeds connection is critical to building a install parking-protected bike lanes
projects had languished due to poli- by up to 28 percent. fully protected cycling network. Ben along Brooklyn and Kingston avenues
tics rather than policy concerns. Designs for the Fordham Road Furnas, executive director of Trans- between East New York Avenue and
“New Yorkers deserve fast, reli- project will be finalized in the coming portation Alternatives, said the city is Wingate Park at Winthrop Street. The
able bus service and to feel safe when months with community engagement, “unsticking stalled projects” and deliv- corridors are located near more than
they’re traveling with their families and construction is expected to be ering long-promised improvements. 10 schools, and between 2021 and
and loved ones on city streets,” Fly- completed this year. DOT says it will “Bus riders in the Bronx deserve 2025 recorded 65 injuries, with pedes-
nn said. “These projects will improve monitor bus speeds following imple- the best possible streets to get buses trians and cyclists accounting for 60
the quality of life for so many New mentation. moving faster,” Furnas said. “We are percent of serious injuries.
Yorkers — but until today many were MTA Chair and CEO Janno Li- very excited to see vital new connec- A protected bike lane loop will
stalled because of politics. This is just eber praised the move, calling it a tions and protections for people on also be built around Wingate Park,
the beginning.” boost for transit riders. “This project foot and on bikes in the Brooklyn net- along with conventional bike lanes on
The largest of the initiatives is is a Valentine to the tens of thousands work.” Rutland Road and Fenimore Street in
the Fordham Road Bus Lane project. of bus riders who cross Fordham Additional bike infrastructure will Prospect-Lefferts Gardens.

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