Here is what Flatbush Avenue might look like once a bus lane is added
It’s official: next summer, some of the car lanes on parts of Flatbush Avenue will turn into bus-only routes, according to Gothamist.
The effort, which seeks to alleviate the traffic that constantly defines the area, has been a long time coming: city officials proposed the changes back in 2023.
According to a new proposal by the Department of Transportation, bus-only lanes would replace car lanes in each direction of Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn between Linvingston Street and Grand Army Plaza.
How, exactly, the plans would be implemented is still unclear. According to Gothamist, there are three design options to choose from. The first involves the addition of concrete islands for passengers and bus lanes in the middle of the street. The second design, on the other hand, requires the creation of the lanes next to the curbs alongside a ban on parking during specific hours. The third option would completely replace a car lane with a bus one.
“Transportation officials said they eventually plan to add bus lanes along Flatbush Avenue all the way down to Kings Plaza, but added that they are prioritizing the northern corridor because it’s the most congested section of the street,” reports the outlet.
In other bus-related updates, New Yorkers are also waiting for 40 blocks of new bike and bus lanes to take over Third Avenue on the Upper East Side. The project, announced last summer, join a roster of new transportation changes that city officials hope will ameliorate the local situation for all parties involved: car drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
Will things actually get better? We’ll have to wait and see.