Statement from Transportation Alternatives on 34th Street Busway, Midtown South Rezoning
Buses along 34th Street average just 5.5 mph for 28,000 daily riders. The M34 is the third-slowest bus in New York City; a single crosstown trip takes around 22 minutes.
The 34th Busway has support from every elected official who represents the street and all three Community Boards.
NEW YORK — This morning, the New York City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (MSMX). MSMX is a transformative re-zoning that will include a busway on 34th Street and a fully pedestrianized Broadway — two longtime campaigns supported by Transportation Alternatives’ Manhattan Activist Committee.
Statement from Ben Furnas, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives:
"Transportation Alternatives has fought for years to reclaim Midtown streets for people, and the Midtown South rezoning is a major step toward that vision.
“With a dedicated, car-free 34th Street busway, and fully pedestrianized Broadway, this plan prioritizes safe, sustainable, and accessible ways to get around — making Midtown a model for people-first design. Alongside these public realm improvements, the rezoning will deliver thousands of new homes in some of the most transit-accessible spots in the world, helping address the city’s urgent housing crisis. This is the kind of transformative vision that will help our city grow to welcome and move the newest New Yorkers.
“This kind of future-forward planning doesn’t happen by chance — it happens when leaders work together. We're grateful to Council Members Bottcher and Powers, the other elected officials who united behind this transformative vision, and to Mayor Adams for partnering to see it across the finish line. We also want to extend a special thank you to our incredible activists, who stood with us and held strong in the demand for a 34th Street busway and a reimagined Broadway! We wouldn’t be here without each and every one of you.
“If we can do this in Midtown, we can do it across the five boroughs. This is the future New Yorkers deserve.”
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