City officials walk faster than M34 bus in rush-hour race

City leaders in New York City celebrated a victory in a race against a Midtown MTA bus, showcasing their support for a renewed plan to limit or ban cars on 34th Street to implement a controversial busway along the traffic-heavy route.

The race took place during Thursday evening’s rush hour, with Councilman Erik Botcher, Comptroller Brad Lander, state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani speed-walking across 34th Street from First to Eighth avenues. They managed to beat the M34 bus by a significant margin of seven minutes.

This event occurred following the approval of the busway by the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and the Committee on Land Use, as part of a larger Midtown South rezoning plan. The busway, aimed at improving the efficiency of the M34 and M34A buses by limiting private vehicles on the busy thoroughfare, was initially proposed in May and faced challenges before being revived.

Council members expressed relief at the revival of the plan, which had been temporarily stalled. Mayor Eric Adams also lent his support to the rezoning plan, emphasizing the importance of creating a dynamic Midtown South where residents of all income levels can thrive.

The rezoning plan, including the 34th Street busway, will now proceed to a vote in the full Council next week. With 28,000 daily commuters relying on the bus service on 34th Street, the implementation of the busway is expected to significantly improve travel times, as buses currently operate at speeds below 5.5 mph during rush hour.

During the race, Councilman Keith Powers and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez rode the losing bus, while the “Pedestrian Prancers” emerged victorious, receiving “Busway champion” medals for their speedy walk. Criticisms of the busway proposal have been raised, with concerns about the lack of data or traffic analysis and potential negative impacts on residential streets due to rerouted traffic from the Midtown tunnel.

Despite these concerns, supporters of the busway argue that it is necessary to address the slow speeds and inefficiencies currently experienced by bus commuters on 34th Street. As the debate continues, the focus remains on finding a balance between improving public transportation and addressing the concerns of residents impacted by the proposed changes.