Mamdani Proposes Further Expansion of 6th Ave. Bike Lanes, Bus Lanes
Building on a previous street plan earlier this Summer, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani outlined plans for widened bike lanes to extend and add another bus lane from 8 Street to 31 Street along Sixth Avenue.
| 25 Jun 2026 | 04:35
In an updated plan, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DOT unveiled a new proposal which would widen an existing bike lane and add an offset bus lane along Sixth Avenue. (
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Sixth Avenue — which currently features four lanes for buses and cars, as well as a fifth lane for bikes — will undergo a redesign which aims to improve safety and efficiency for commuters. (
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The new plan marks the second proposal to expand bike lanes along Sixth Avenue (above) this Summer. (
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NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in collaboration with NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), announced that they proposed to add new offset bus lanes and widen existing bike lanes by four feet along Sixth Avenue to Manhattan Community Board 4.
The proposed redesign, which hopes to improve rider safety in one of Manhattan’s highest-crash corridors, includes expanding the avenue’s existing protected bike lane from W 35 to 59 street. This new plan comes a month after a previous Sixth Avenue bike lane expansion from W 14 to 31 Street that doubled the lane’s width from six to 10 feet under safety concerns ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The upgraded project, announced June 19, would create a double-wide bike lane for most of the avenue, allowing for two-way traffic.
A key addition of the plan is a new offset bus lane along the corridor, which serves 51,000 New Yorkers each day. From Watts Street to W 34 Street, the proposal would create a new lane designated for buses and expand some bus lanes from W 34 to 58 to be double lanes.
Mamdani said he hopes the new bus lane will improve service reliability of buses and increase bus speeds, which currently sit at a slow average of 3.5 mph.
“Every day, 51,000 New Yorkers rely on buses along this corridor to get to work, school and home to their families. And every day, too many of them are stuck in traffic that slows them down and takes their valuable time,” Mamdani said in a press release. “By installing new and upgraded offset bus lanes and expanding bike infrastructure on Sixth Avenue, we’re helping New Yorkers move faster, move safer and experience the reliable public transit they deserve.”
Mike Flynn, commissioner of NYC DOT, said the proposal focuses on improving the daily commute for New Yorkers.
“The Mamdani administration has made clear that bus riders deserve a fast, dignified commute, but right now it can be as fast to walk along Sixth Avenue as it is to ride a local bus,” Flynn said in a press release. “This proposal would bring faster and safer commutes for bus and bike riders commuting in Manhattan from all five boroughs.”
The plan seeks to tackle two main problems: time and safety for NYC commuters. The addition of the new bus lanes, according to Mamdani and NYC DOT, would help speed up bus times by allowing buses to bypass blocked curbside lanes. For bike riders, the plan hopes to combat the high rates of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries along the avenue, which is a designated Vision Zero priority corridor.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) said the plan is a necessary safeguard for bike riders along the corridor.
“New Yorkers need infrastructure that helps all riders, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers get quickly and safely to their destination,” Nadler said in a press release. “I am proud to continue to support NYC DOT as they work to make this a reality. The proposal for a new bus lane on Sixth Avenue and the continued widening of the existing bike lane up to 58th Street addresses a corridor that is too congested for cars and buses to move efficiently and is far too dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists to safely use without improvements.”
“As our city grows and bike ridership increases, this proposal will help my constituents keep moving and stay safe,” Nadler added.
NYC DOT plans to present the new plan to other relevant Manhattan Community Boards for feedback before installing the new lanes.