The city is planning on adding a dedicated bus lane on Flatbush Avenue from Downtown Brooklyn to Grand Army Plaza, according to the Department of Transportation.
The bus service on Flatbush Avenue, between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza, is currently the slowest in the borough, officials said. Serving nearly 70,000 daily riders across 6 bus routes, bus riders on Flatbush Avenue currently experience bus speeds slower than 4 miles per hour at rush hours—about the same speed as a pedestrian walking the corridor.
“Right now, Flatbush Avenue above Prospect Park doesn’t work for anyone: almost 70,000 daily bus riders are stuck waiting too long for slow buses, drivers are caught in a mess of traffic, and pedestrians are left crossing intersections clogged with vehicles,” said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Our proposal would address each of these issues and create a world-class, welcoming corridor for everyone. We look forward to refining this proposal closely with the community before implementation.”
The DOT is proposing center-running bus lanes, with new pedestrian spaces to improve traffic safety and reduce pedestrian crossing times. The proposal will also adjust curb regulations to better support local businesses’ delivery needs.
The city would install concrete bus boarding islands in the street to provide safe spaces for pedestrians to board, disembark and wait to cross the street. The boarding islands would create a train-like service experience for riders while reducing instances of speeding drivers.
Nearly 60% of the households along Flatbush Avenue have no access to a personal vehicle. A Pratt Center Study found buses along Flatbush primarily serve Black, female, and low-income riders. The majority of these riders live in the zip codes around Flatbush and have household incomes of less than $80,000 a year. The majority of riders complained of long waits in extreme weather and one out of three riders reported being fired, reprimanded, or lost pay at work due to bus-related delays.
The city will hear public input at various community board meetings in the coming months before finalizing plans.
