Three Manhattan community boards are calling on city officials to transform 42nd Street into a busway, aiming to improve the efficiency of one of the city's slowest bus routes.

Manhattan Community Boards 4, 5 and 6 sent a letter to Mayor Eric Adams and the city’s Department of Transportation last week pushing for the change. The proposal mirrors the busway established on 14th Street, which significantly boosted bus speeds by limiting through-traffic and requiring vehicles to take the first available right turn.

"Given the critical need to enhance public transportation infrastructure in this highly congested area of Manhattan, this project would significantly improve the efficiency and livability of 42nd Street for both commuters and pedestrians," the letter said.

Bus riders along 42nd Street say they’re frustrated by slow, unreliable service.

"I take the 42, I wait. There will be times where I walk from 3rd Avenue all way to 11th Avenue; that’s how bad it is,” said Graydon Checkosky, a regular M42 rider. “The M42 is very unreliable, it’s always crowded, it’s always packed.”

Barbara Diamond, another bus rider, described her commute as a daily challenge.

"Buses are slow, you’re trying to get to work, you’re trying to get home, the weather is bad. It’s just horrible, horrible. They need to do something,” she said.

Currently, 42nd Street has dedicated bus lanes in both directions, but the MTA reports that the M42 bus averaged just 5 miles per hour in 2024.

Jason Froimowitz, Transportation Committee Chair for Community Board 6, said the project could also improve pedestrian conditions.

"It's more than, I think, just a busway," he said. "What we'd also love to see is wider sidewalks, just making this a better area to be around—not just to get through, but to walk around, see the sights, and enjoy the space." 

Supporters of the 42nd Street busway point to the success of similar projects across the city, including on 14th Street, as well as in parts of Queens and Brooklyn.

“The bus lane that we have right here, it doesn’t really work, because the cars are always double parked,” said Checkosky. “When you get to 8th Avenue, there’s traffic everywhere—tour buses, dollar vans—it’s just congestion like crazy, so I think something definitely needs to be done about it.”

The DOT issued a statement in response to the proposal, saying it "looks forward to reviewing the community's input on the future of 42nd Street."