Bronx drivers have voiced strong opposition to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to ban cars from significant portions of East Tremont Avenue, a move intended to enhance the speed and reliability of city buses. The initiative, scheduled to begin on September 19, will largely prohibit private vehicles from sections of the six-mile corridor between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Exemptions will be made for large trucks, Access-A-Ride vans, and emergency vehicles.

Mamdani announced the revival of the long-delayed project at Walter Gladwin Park, stating that the initiative, part of the city’s bus action plan, would bring the Tremont Avenue busway back to life. He projected that New Yorkers would notice the changes immediately, with city officials asserting the project will improve Bx36 bus service efficiency.

However, local motorists expressed concerns about the potential disruption. "It would be a problem for everybody!" one resident, Hector, 66, stated while waiting in his car. Another bus rider, John Beuther, 79, called the plan "crazy," arguing that the current bus speed on the avenue, which City Hall estimated averaged 5 mph during rush hours, was already adequate.

Julio Martinez, owner of Chon Barbershop on East Tremont Avenue, voiced worries about the impact on his business. He noted that both he and his customers rely on street parking and feared the new restrictions could lead to lost revenue. "Everybody's driving," Martinez said. "We're gonna lose a lot of money. No one's gonna come and get a haircut."

The busway project had been previously paused in 2025 by the administration of former Mayor Eric Adams, citing a lack of community support. Mamdani has since reinstated the plan, projecting that the changes could increase bus speeds by up to 60%, potentially saving riders six minutes per trip and improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Under the new configuration, eastbound buses will utilize the busway from Third Avenue to Southern Boulevard, an approximately 10-block stretch. Westbound buses will have dedicated lanes from Southern Boulevard to Belmont Avenue, covering about three blocks.

Some transit advocates have expressed skepticism about the projected improvements. Allan Rosen, vice chair of transit advocacy group Passengers United and a former bus planner for the MTA, recalled a similar bus lane project on Woodhaven Boulevard where promised faster travel times did not materialize. "I don’t believe any DOT (Department of Transportation) promises," Rosen stated. "They promised 30% faster travel times in 2016 for Woodhaven Blvd bus lane and SBS and got slower travel times."

Mamdani, during the press conference, criticized drivers who occupy bus lanes, accusing them of "deliberately trying to slow down our buses." He indicated support for expanding the use of the Automated Camera Enforcement program, formerly known as ABLE, to issue more camera-based tickets to drivers who obstruct bus lanes.

This initiative follows other bus speed-focused plans by Mamdani, including a Brooklyn project that reduced bus stops and a controversial Fordham Road redesign in the Bronx that faced criticism from local politicians for omitting neighborhood upgrades and failing to restore removed bus stops.

A busway is defined as a street where buses have priority, while regular cars may only enter briefly to access a local destination before being required to exit.