Statement from Transportation Alternatives on Midtown Rezoning City Council Passage

A new busway on 34th Street and major improvements to Broadway are included in the 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. 

NEW YORK — Today, the New York City Council voted to approve 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: 

"We are ecstatic that this historic rezoning has moved through the City Council. For years, we’ve fought to reclaim Midtown streets for New Yorkers, and today is a major step toward that reality. With a dedicated, car-free 34th Street busway, and fully pedestrianized Broadway, this plan puts people first on some of our busiest streets — making Midtown a model for New York City and the world. 

“These changes will permanently shape New York City for the better, and it’s only possible because of the hard work of Council Members Bottcher and Powers, the other elected officials who stood alongside us, Mayor Adams, and every activist on Transportation Alternatives’ Manhattan Activist Committee who dedicated years of their lives to fighting for these improvements. You make today possible.”