Add busways, urges beep

Manhattan’s first-ever “busway” on 14th St. is such a success that Borough President Gale Brewer is pushing to give two uptown streets the same treatment.

Brewer last week sent a letter to city Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg to request the agency study the possibility of kicking cars to the curb on 125th and W. 181st Sts. to make way for buses.

Brewer says traffic restrictions on 14th St. that took effect in early October have been “transformational,” and Trottenberg should look uptown to repeat their success.

“It is vital that we not only apply proven methods for bus service at a time when ridership continues to fall, but that we ensure equity as we do it,” Brewer wrote. “Northern Manhattan bus riders deserve to reap the same potential benefits that riders in lower Manhattan have seen.”

Bus ridership on 14th St. has increased by more than 20% since the busway, which bans most car traffic between Third and Ninth Aves. from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, was launched.

The program is working so well that MTA officials last week promised they would increase bus service on the crosstown corridor.

Brewer thinks a busway would have a more substantial impact on 125th and W. 181st Sts., which carry bus routes that have a combined daily ridership of more than 140,000 people. The 14th St. routes serve about 32,000 riders a day.

Transportation Department spokesman Scott Gastel was careful not to commit to the idea.

“Transforming any major street is not a decision the city takes lightly,” said Gastel. “We plan to make decisions on next steps sometime next year after reviewing more concrete data, including whether to create additional busways.”