New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is reviving a controversial 34th Street busway project that the Trump administration halted last year. The dedicated bus lanes would run between Third and Ninth Avenues, reserved for buses, emergency vehicles and trucks during peak hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Federal Highway Administration had threatened to withhold funding, arguing the corridor was part of the national highway system. City officials now plan to incorporate the project into the Transportation Improvement Program to address federal concerns. Buses currently crawl at just five miles per hour on this Midtown route, among the slowest in America.

Similar infrastructure changes on 14th Street delivered up to 24% faster bus speeds and 42% fewer crashes since 2019. The redesign would serve roughly 28,000 daily riders along the congested commercial stretch near Macy's Herald Square. Transit advocates support the move, though critics worry about displaced traffic onto neighboring streets.

This marks Mamdani's latest attempt to fulfill his campaign pledge for 'fast and free' buses, potentially clearing the way for other blocked transit projects like the Tremont Avenue busway in the Bronx. The city aims to complete construction by fall after summer infrastructure installation.