A major transit project on East 161st Street will create protected bus lanes and improve safety for 25,000 daily riders
Groundbreaking on Bronx Bus Project Signals Mamdani Transit Commitment
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani joined New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn and Acting DDC Commissioner Eduardo del Valle on Monday to break ground on a major redesign of East 161st Street near Yankee Stadium, kicking off what officials describe as a transformative upgrade for one of the Bronx’s busiest transit corridors. The project will serve the Bx6 Select Bus Service line, which currently carries approximately 25,000 daily riders through the South Bronx and into Manhattan.
What the Project Will Build
The redesign covers East 161st Street from Ruppert Place to Morris Avenue, including segments of East 163rd Street and portions of the Bx6-SBS route in Manhattan. The centerpiece of the project is a fully protected, center-running bus lane along East 161st Street from Concourse Village West to just west of River Avenue. This would make it one of the only center-running protected bus corridors in all of New York City, a design approach that places the bus lane in the middle of the street rather than at the curb, providing maximum separation from turning vehicles and double-parked delivery trucks. The redesign also includes conversion of the 161st Street underpass to buses-only, new bus shelters, benches and leaning bars, pedestrian refuges, and infrastructure to make boarding safer and more accessible for people with disabilities.
Opening Day and the Yankee Stadium Connection
Mayor Mamdani, a self-described baseball skeptic, acknowledged the timing with dry humor. “As the Mayor of New York City, I must deliver fast and reliable buses for Yankees fans as well,” he said. With Major League Baseball’s Opening Day approaching, the corridor around Yankee Stadium sees more than three million visitors annually, adding pressure to an already congested street network. NYC DOT Commissioner Flynn noted that the improvements would benefit not just baseball fans but the tens of thousands of South Bronx residents who depend on the Bx6 every day for work, school, and medical appointments. Construction has already begun on East 163rd Street between Intervale Avenue and Tiffany Street, with a target completion date of 2028.
Why Bus Priority Matters in the South Bronx
The South Bronx is one of the most transit-dependent communities in New York City. Car ownership rates are among the lowest in the country, and bus service is the primary mode of transportation for a large share of residents who cannot afford taxis or ride-hailing services. Delays on the Bx6 corridor have long been documented by transit advocates. Streetsblog NYC has reported extensively on how delivery trucks, double-parking, and the lack of physical lane protection erode bus speed and reliability on exactly these kinds of corridors. Protected bus lanes that use physical infrastructure rather than just paint reduce average travel times, improve on-time performance, and make service more predictable. MTA New York City Transit Executive Vice President of Buses Frank Farrell called the project a step toward a bus network worthy of the neighborhoods it serves. “Nothing makes buses faster than clear streets,” he said.
The Broader Mamdani Transit Vision
This project is consistent with the transit priorities Mamdani articulated throughout his campaign, which emphasized a shift away from car-centric infrastructure toward high-quality, accessible public transit. His administration has also supported congestion pricing, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian safety improvements across the five boroughs. Transportation advocates have praised the Bronx bus project as a concrete deliverable that will produce measurable benefits for a community that has historically been underserved by capital investment. The Transportation Alternatives advocacy group has documented the relationship between bus network quality and economic opportunity in low-income neighborhoods, finding that faster, more reliable transit translates directly into expanded access to jobs and services. The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy has published global research on center-running protected bus lanes, consistently finding them among the most effective tools for improving urban mobility.
A Home Run for Transit Equity
Transit equity is at the heart of what this project represents. The South Bronx has been one of the most studied examples of environmental injustice in American urban history, with decades of highway construction, industrial zoning, and disinvestment leaving communities with elevated asthma rates, poor air quality, and inadequate public investment. A protected bus corridor that moves more people more efficiently, with proper pedestrian infrastructure and accessible boarding, is a small but meaningful step toward repair. The 2028 completion date gives the community a clear milestone to hold the administration accountable, and residents should track the project’s progress closely.
