34th Street Busway Restart — Mamdani Defies Trump FHWA Threats

Mamdani used his first WNYC 'Ask the Mayor' sitting Tue Jun 2 to announce the 34th Street busway is RESUMING, despite Trump-admin FHWA threats in 2025 that paused the project (alongside the Bronx Tremont Avenue busway). One-mile corridor between 9th and 3rd Avenues, modeled on the 14th Street busway (buses, trucks, emergency vehicles only, 6AM–10PM). 28K daily bus riders. City Hall spokesperson Jeremy Edwards says administration is in "active communication" with FHWA and has formally submitted plans. Timeline: DOT public outreach this month → infrastructure installation summer → construction complete by end of fall. This becomes the first direct Mamdani-vs-Trump policy confrontation since inauguration — and the Tremont Avenue busway, which the same Trump dragnet halted, is now the obvious next pressure point.