Tremont Ave Busway for BX36 to Open Sept. 19, 2026 — Mamdani Says Bronx Riders Could See Up to 60% Faster Service, 6-Minute Savings

Mayor Mamdani announced the city has begun work on a dedicated Tremont Avenue busway for the BX36, to start operating September 19, 2026, with officials projecting up to 60% faster service and up to six minutes saved per trip. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

# What’s happening
– Mayor Mamdani announced a Tremont Avenue busway starting September 19, 2026.
– Busway access restricted daily 6 a.m.–8 p.m. to buses, large trucks, Access‑A‑Ride, emergency vehicles, bicycles.
– Officials project up to 60% faster BX36 service, saving up to six minutes per trip.

# Why it matters
– About 39,000 daily BX36 riders in the Bronx rely on this east–west route.
– Faster buses shorten commutes and can cut pedestrian and cyclist injuries on the corridor.

# Key details
– Operation begins September 19, 2026, daily 6 a.m.–8 p.m.
– BX36 baseline speed described as “as slow as 5 mph.”
– Lane layout: westbound busway Belmont Ave → Southern Blvd; eastbound busway Third Ave → Southern Blvd; offset eastbound lane Webster Ave → Third Ave.
– DOT/MTA projectors: up to 60% speed increase, up to six minutes saved per trip, up to 45% reduction in pedestrian/cyclist injuries.
– DOT plans painted and reinforced sidewalk extensions, granite blocks, and bike racks to shorten crossings and deter illegal parking.

Mayor Mamdani opened a press conference in the Bronx to announce work has begun on what he called the borough’s first dedicated busway on Tremont Avenue. He said the project is part of the city’s fast‑bus program and will restore a busway design that had been cancelled under the previous administration. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

**Zohran Mamdani**
– Role or jurisdiction: Mayor of New York City.
– Action taken or responsibility: Announced and promoted installation of the Tremont Avenue busway.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Said BX36 serves about 39,000 riders daily; announced busway operation starting September 19, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

The mayor and DOT representatives gave the baseline measures they are using to justify the project. The mayor said the BX36 “can move as slow as 5 mph” and described the corridor as both slow and dangerous, citing 630 crash injuries between 2020 and 2024 and four deaths. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

**New York City Department of Transportation (DOT)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City agency that manages streets and implements street infrastructure.
– Action taken or responsibility: Begins street construction and design for the Tremont Avenue busway and sidewalk extensions.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Announced lane configuration and September 19, 2026 start; community engagement planned later this year. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

DOT’s assistant commissioner for transit development, Denise Mendes, described the specific lane changes DOT will install: a westbound busway between Belmont Avenue and Southern Boulevard; an eastbound busway between Third Avenue and Southern Boulevard; and an offset eastbound bus lane between Webster Avenue and Third Avenue. Mendes said DOT will add painted sidewalk extensions, reinforced with granite blocks and bicycle racks, to shorten crossing distances and discourage illegal parking. Mendes also said DOT will begin community engagement on the corridor later this year. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

**Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)**
– Role or jurisdiction: Regional transit authority that operates buses.
– Action taken or responsibility: Will operate BX36 service and coordinate with DOT on reliability and performance.
– Relevant numbers or dates: MTA leadership attended the announcement; officials said they will coordinate on service and tracking. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

MTA executive vice president for buses Frank Farrell told the crowd the agencies are partners in improving service and that bus operators and maintenance staff are engaged in the effort. Officials tied the street redesign to faster, more reliable bus service but did not present a published route‑level performance target for the BX36 at the press conference. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

At the press event, city officials offered projected outcomes rather than a formal, published performance target for the route. Speakers said they anticipate the Tremont Avenue changes could improve bus speeds by up to 60%, save riders up to six minutes per trip, and reduce pedestrian and cyclist injuries by up to 45%. Those figures were presented as anticipated benefits; DOT and the MTA did not present a single, numeric post‑implementation speed target for the BX36 at the event. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

In earlier coverage of the city‑state Fast Buses, Better Service plan (July 8, 2026), officials described an accountability framework that includes issuing a report with specific goals, public performance metrics, and monthly reviews at Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board meetings. That city‑state announcement also set broader program timelines — for example, automated camera enforcement on priority corridors by 2028 and all‑door boarding targets in related announcements — but those are program‑level commitments, not Tremont‑specific route targets published at the Aug. 12 press conference. (External to today’s press conference.) Source: https://youtu.be/1bOdcZm70ws (external to today’s press conference)

What this means for the question you asked
– Baseline speeds: The mayor said the BX36 “can move as slow as 5 mph.” Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk
– Projected post‑implementation change: Officials projected up to a 60% increase in speed and up to six minutes saved per trip for this corridor, but presented those numbers as anticipated outcomes rather than formal, published route‑level targets. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk
– Formal targets and reporting timeline: DOT and the MTA signaled they will produce performance metrics and a report with goals under the broader Fast Buses, Better Service program and will review progress monthly at MTA board meetings, but did not publish specific BX36 numeric targets or a detailed measurement timeline at the Tremont Avenue announcement. (External to today’s press conference.) Source: https://youtu.be/1bOdcZm70ws (external to today’s press conference)

If you need copies of the DOT or MTA report or the specific performance indicators once published, DOT and the MTA representatives at the announcement said they will release those materials as part of the Fast Buses, Better Service reporting process; the press conference did not include a link or document with route‑level targets. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk

For follow‑up reporting: DOT said community engagement on Tremont will begin later this year, and the busway will open September 19, 2026, with daytime restrictions between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Officials promised ongoing coordination with the MTA to monitor speeds and reliability. Source: https://youtu.be/HHGCrVXA0mk; Source: https://youtu.be/1bOdcZm70ws (external to today’s press conference)