New Dedicated Bus Lane Will Be Built Along Broadway In Queens: What To Know

QUEENS, NY — A new dedicated bus lane will be created along Broadway in Queens ahead of the World Cup this summer, the city Department of Transportation said.

The new bus lane aims to improve commute times for people traveling to and from LaGuardia Airport in addition to airport workers and Queens residents.

The project will add a dedicated, center-running eastbound bus lane along Broadway between 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue while maintaining one travel lane in each direction for other vehicles, the DOT said.

The bus route corridor serves 9,000 daily riders on the Q70-SBS, which connects New Yorkers and visitors to LGA, the 7, E, F, M and R subway lines, Long Island Railroad and several local bus routes.

“The World Cup may come and go, but the investments we made to our streets and public transit must serve New Yorkers for decades to come,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “Arriving in New York City should be fast, affordable and reliable all year round — not just during major events. This new bus lane will help welcome visitors from around the world this summer while delivering faster commutes every day for the thousands of working-class New Yorkers who rely on the Q70.”

Buses on the corridor move as slowly as 2.7 mph during evening rush hour — slower than the average walking pace of about 3 mph.

Officials said that the bus lane will speed up bus rides for thousands of New Yorkers while improving street safety.

“New Yorkers should be able to connect to our airports with fast, reliable bus service — but congestion on Broadway in Queens means it can be faster to walk this portion of the Q70-SBS route in Jackson Heights,” NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “With the influx of visitors expected for the World Cup, the Mamdani administration will be working with urgency to ensure New Yorkers, and soccer fans from across the world, will be able to get where they’re going efficiently. We look forward to discussing this project with the community in the coming weeks before installation.”

The DOT will present the proposal to the local community board later this month and expects to complete the project before World Cup matches begin in June.