Manhattan Bus Lane Plan for 34th Street May Be Stuck in Gridlock, tell me about this news in (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/nyregion/mamdani-bus-lane-34th-manhattan.html)

The news covers the ongoing political and regulatory battle over the implementation of a dedicated bus priority corridor along Manhattan’s 34th Street between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue.The initiative aims to significantly speed up crosstown bus travel for tens of thousands of daily riders, addressing one of the most notoriously congested corridors in New York City where buses often crawl at single-digit speeds. The design restricts standard private vehicular traffic while preserving local access, multi-axle freight loading, and emergency vehicle movement.The proposal has repeatedly faced hurdles and pushback, leading to its characterization of being “stuck in gridlock”:

• Federal Oversight: Because 34th Street connects critical regional infrastructurelinking the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and the Lincoln Tunnel along the National Highway Systemthe Federal Highway Administration raised concerns regarding potential spillover effects on freight flow and regional traffic, previously stepping in to order reviews and pauses.
• Local and Community Pushback: Neighborhood and community groups, including residential associations in Murray Hill and Midtown, have voiced significant concerns. Opponents argue that restricting traffic on a primary east-west artery could push private and commercial vehicles onto narrower side streets, disrupt patient access to nearby medical centers, and worsen traffic bottlenecks across central Manhattan.
• City Hall’s Push: The city administration has pushed forward to advance the project, asserting local jurisdiction over street design and citing the measurable success of similar busway initiatives in cutting commuter delays and reducing traffic injuries.