DOT to cut two car lanes, add bus and bike space on Flatbush Avenue; redesign work to start next week

Work on the long-awaited Flatbush Avenue redesign will begin this week, transit officials said on Thursday. The overhaul includes the loss of two vehicle lanes, new center-running bus lanes, space for truck-loading, safety enhancements and thousands of feet of pedestrian space.

Known as the Flatbush Avenue bus priority project, the goal is get city buses moving faster. According to the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), the average bus speed on Flatbush Avenue is often four mph. Citywide, bus speeds have been reported as slow as eight mph. DOT and transit advocates have said that center-running bus lanes and other enhancements on the corridor will speed up bus travel, in part, by reducing traffic congestion.

In June, the plan to improve bus speed on the corridor was chosen out of th