Bus and bike lane work starts on Brooklyn avenues

The New York City Department of Transportation has begun work on DeKalb and Lafayette Avenues in Brooklyn, focusing on painting bus lanes and protected bike lanes. The work spans 2.7 miles of each road, with the goal of improving bus speeds on the B38 route, which serves 18,000 daily riders.

The project will install curbside and offset bus lanes along DeKalb Avenue from Flatbush Avenue to Broadway, and on Lafayette Avenue from Ashland Place to Patchen Avenue. These streets are one-way and run parallel through Downtown Brooklyn, Clinton Hill, Bedford Stuyvesant, and Bushwick.

According to MTA data, buses on both streets move as slowly as 4 miles per hour during peak hours. The project also includes adding parking and barrier-protected bike lanes to enhance safety for cyclists and other road users.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated the project will lead to faster commutes for bus riders and safer travel for cyclists and pedestrians. He emphasized that New Yorkers should not have to choose between timely and safe travel.

DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn noted that 80% of residents within a quarter-mile of the B38 route rely on public transit, biking, or walking for commuting, with 62% of households in the area lacking a car. The redesign is intended to improve bus speeds and reliability while creating safer routes for all road users.

The two streets have seen 841 reported injuries since 2021, including 47 severe cases and one fatality. Pedestrians and cyclists accounted for 310 of the total injuries and 22 of the severe injuries over the past five years. The project is part of the city and state’s joint plan to boost bus speeds, known as 'Next Stop.'