New eastbound bus lane will speed up service for LGA travelers, airport workers and Queens bus riders
Q70-SBS buses on Broadway currently move as slowly as 2.7 mph during evening rush hour
A Q70-SBS travels along Broadway in Jackson Heights, Queens. Credit: NYC DOT
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced a new dedicated bus lane along Broadway in Queens that will improve commutes for LaGuardia Airport (LGA) travelers, airport workers and Queens residents ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.
The project will add a dedicated, center-running eastbound bus lane along Broadway between 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue while maintaining one travel lane in each direction for other vehicles.
The corridor serves 9,000 daily riders on the Q70-SBS, which connects New Yorkers and visitors to LGA, the 7, E, F, M and R subway lines, Long Island Railroad and several local bus routes.
Today, buses on the corridor move as slowly as 2.7 mph during evening rush hour — slower than the average walking pace of about 3 mph.
“The World Cup may come and go, but the investments we made to our streets and public transit must serve New Yorkers for decades to come,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Arriving in New York City should be fast, affordable and reliable all year round — not just during major events. This new bus lane will help welcome visitors from around the world this summer while delivering faster commutes every day for the thousands of working-class New Yorkers who rely on the Q70.”
“This new bus lane will speed up bus rides for thousands of New Yorkers while improving the safety of our streets for everyone,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “NYC DOT has launched a series of street improvements that will improve mobility during and long after the World Cup, whether you’re arriving through LaGuardia or biking over the Brooklyn Bridge.”
“New Yorkers should be able to connect to our airports with fast, reliable bus service — but congestion on Broadway in Queens means it can be faster to walk this portion of the Q70-SBS route in Jackson Heights,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “With the influx of visitors expected for the World Cup, the Mamdani administration will be working with urgency to ensure New Yorkers, and soccer fans from across the world, will be able to get where they’re going efficiently. We look forward to discussing this project with the community in the coming weeks before installation.”
“Bus lanes are always a good idea but especially now as the region prepares to host a million-plus fans for the World Cup,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “We stand ready to get them where they need to go — even faster once this dedicated lane is installed.”
“For both travelers and airport workers, the LGA Link Q70 is a vital connection to jobs, mobility and opportunity,” said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “This bus lane, spanning a critical and often-congested stretch of the LGA Link Q70 route, is one of several improvements on the way to make that connection more reliable. Passengers will be riding buses operated by one agency, on roads run by another, coming from an airport overseen by a third. That kind of complex environment demands strong, collaborative working relationships, and we’re proud to have built exactly that with our government partners to deliver meaningful benefits for the region.”
“LaGuardia Airport, like all of our airports, is expecting a busy summer, with the World Cup among several major events bringing visitors to the region, and reliable ground transportation will be essential to meeting that demand,” said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman Kevin O'Toole. “This dedicated bus lane addresses one of the LGA Link Q70's most persistent bottlenecks, making the route more reliable, more predictable and more inviting for visitors. We look forward to working with our city and state partners to ensure the LGA Link Q70, along with our entire transportation network, works seamlessly from the plane to the train to the game.”
NYC DOT will present the proposal to the local community board later this month and expects to complete the project before World Cup matches begin in June.
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