A major upgrade is underway on Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, where the city is installing two new bus boarding islands as part of an effort to improve bus service, cycling conditions and pedestrian safety, according to NYC Street Blog.
The first concrete island, just north of MetroTech Service Road, will replace a painted no-parking area and provide a dedicated boarding location for passengers using the B54 at its final stop. The island will also create additional protection for cyclists traveling along the curb.
“DOT is taking advantage of scheduled street resurfacing to improve the bus-riding and biking experience on Jay Street,” said Mona Bruno, Department of Transportation spokesperson. “As we deliver a smooth new roadbed, we’ll be installing bus boarding islands to eliminate the mixing of buses and bikes at these two locations, reducing bus service delays and improving safety for everyone.”
A second island farther north will provide a designated layover area for buses near Brooklyn Commons. Buses currently use a curbside cutover that is frequently blocked by taxis, police vehicles and other illegally parked cars.
The new arrangement will allow cyclists to travel along the curbside protected bike lane instead of crossing paths with buses entering or leaving the layover area.
Jay Street's design forces buses, cyclists and pedestrians into overlapping spaces. The new layout is intended to reduce conflicts, improve bus reliability and make movement through the corridor more predictable.
The work is being completed alongside scheduled street resurfacing, combining routine road maintenance with permanent transportation improvements.
Efforts are part of a broader series of transportation improvements in Downtown Brooklyn, including protected bike lanes, expanded bus-priority treatments and new connections to the Brooklyn Bridge.
Additional bus and bike projects are expected to be completed this fall, while advocates and local representatives are seeking similar safety improvements farther north along Jay Street.
