Bus lanes are coming to Flatbush Avenue. Transit officials say the plan is for red paint to hit the pavement as soon as next year.

“Our streets being made more equitable, accessible, safe, it is long overdue,” Betsy Plum, Executive Director of Rider’s Alliance said.

Mayor Eric Adams took the B41 bus, which runs along the corridor to make the announcement with transit officials and advocates. The bus lane will stretch 10 miles off Flatbush Avenue from Kings Plaza to Cadman Plaza. It will be a part of the NYC Streets Plan, which promises to create 150 new miles of bus lanes by the end of 2026.

“Buses are the transportation backbone of our city. Flatbush is an opportunity for transformational change,” Adams said.

Transit advocates say the rules of the bus lane will vary along the stretch depending on the number of lanes available for traffic. Some residents believe a dedicated bus lane will cause more problems than it will solve.

But bus riders say the route is plagued by slowdowns because of traffic and congestion. They say bus drivers need to maneuver double-parked cars and dollars vans to get to each stop. Riders believe it’ll help improve bus service. 

“When people actually obey not being in the bus lane, it works. Traffic flows easier. You just know there is one lane to go. It flows easier in my opinion. I think it will be good as long as people adhere to obeying the rules,” a bus rider said. 

A draft plan of the Flatbush Avenue bus lane is expected in the spring with installation by next fall.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story misstated the length of Flatbush Avenue.