Mamdani Restarts 34th Street Busway on Brian Lehrer Debut — Despite Trump FHWA Threats; DOT Public Outreach Begins This Month, Installation Summer, Construction Done by Fall

Summary

Mamdani used his first WNYC 'Ask the Mayor' sitting Tue Jun 2 to announce the 34th Street busway — paused last year after Trump-admin FHWA threats over truck access / federal oversight — is RESUMING. One-mile corridor between 9th and 3rd Avenues, modeled on the 14th Street busway (buses, trucks, emergency vehicles only in dedicated lanes 6AM–10PM). 28,000 daily bus riders. City Hall spokesperson Jeremy Edwards: in "active communication" with FHWA, plans formally submitted. Quote: "Too many New Yorkers spend too much time waiting on buses stuck in traffic. The 34th Street busway will change that, turning one of our most congested bus corridors into one that actually moves." Timeline: DOT public outreach starts this month, infrastructure install summer, construction complete by end of fall. This is the biggest Mamdani-vs-Trump policy move since the inauguration and is being read as a direct challenge to the federal threats that also paused the Bronx Tremont Avenue busway.

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