Construction begins on DeKalb and Lafayette bus and bike redesign in Brooklyn

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

The B38 bus moves as slowly as 4 miles per hour at peak on DeKalb and Lafayette Avenues. On November 5, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city Department of Transportation announced construction on 2.7 miles of bus and protected bike lanes along the two Brooklyn corridors.

The redesign covers DeKalb Avenue from Broadway to Flatbush Avenue and Lafayette Avenue from Ashland Place to Patchen Avenue. It is meant to speed 18,000 daily B38 riders and address a corridor where crashes have injured 841 people since 2021.

Why it matters

For 18,000 daily B38 riders, the redesign tests whether bus lanes and cameras can turn a 4 mph crawl into a reliable commute.

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Key Indicators

2.7

Miles of new bus and bike lanes

Offset and curbside bus lanes plus protected bike lanes on two corridors.

18,000

Daily B38 riders

Riders who use the route between Downtown Brooklyn and Ridgewood, Queens.

841

Injuries on the two avenues since 2021

DOT data counts 47 severe injuries and one death.

Peak bus speed in miles per hour

MTA data shows B38 buses crawl at 4 mph during rush hours.

80%

Residents near B38 who commute by transit, bike, or foot

Share within a quarter-mile of the route.

62%

Households near B38 without a car

Most households along the corridor do not own a vehicle.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Zohran Kwame Mamdani

Mayor of New York City

In office

Mike Flynn

Commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation

In office

Janno Lieber

Chair and CEO, Metropolitan Transportation Authority

In office

Organizations Involved

New York City Department of Transportation

City agency

Building the redesign

The agency designs and builds New York City's streets, including bus lanes and protected bike lanes.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Transit agency

Partner and bus operator

The MTA operates the B38 and supplied bus speed data for the project.

New York City Mayor's Office

Executive office

Announced construction start

The mayor's office announced the project and framed it as part of the Next Stop bus plan.

Brooklyn Community Board 3

Local advisory board

Reviewed the design

The board reviewed DOT's block-by-block design in September 2026.

Timeline

July 2026 November 2026

4 events Latest: Today

Tap a bar to jump to that date

November 2026
Construction underway on DeKalb and Lafayette redesign
Today Construction

YIMBY reports work has begun on the paired Brooklyn corridors.
Today
Mayor announces start of construction
Construction

Mamdani and DOT Commissioner Flynn say work is underway on 2.7 miles of bus and bike lanes.
Yesterday
September 2026
DOT presents DeKalb and Lafayette design to Community Board 3
Planning

The plan details offset and curbside bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and camera enforcement.
September 2026
July 2026
City and MTA unveil Next Stop bus plan
Policy

Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul announce a plan to speed 175 bus routes on 50 priority corridors.
July 2026

Scenarios

Lanes open on schedule by end of fall 2026

Likely Resolves by Dec 21, 2026

Discussed by: NYC DOT and Mayor's Office

DOT says installation is slated for completion this fall. If weather and repaving cooperate, crews finish lane markings and barriers by December, and monitoring continues through winter.

Construction slips into spring 2027

Possible Resolves by Jun 20, 2027

Discussed by: NYC DOT monitoring schedule and project documents

The project has a winter monitoring phase and additional treatments under study for spring 2027. A delay in repaving or barrier installation could push final lane work past the fall target.

B38 peak speeds rise at least 20% on the corridor

Uncertain Resolves by Nov 6, 2027

Discussed by: MTA and NYC DOT

The Next Stop plan aims to boost bus speeds by at least 20% on priority corridors. Cameras and offset lanes are the main tools. MTA data will show whether the B38 improves from its 4 mph peak crawl.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 2026

Tremont Avenue busway (2026)

NYC DOT completed the Bronx's first busway on Tremont Avenue, part of the Next Stop plan. The project added bus lanes and camera enforcement to speed service.

Then

The city marked it as a model for other corridors.

Now

It showed the Mamdani administration could finish a bus priority project within months.

Why this matters now

DeKalb and Lafayette use the same mix of bus lanes and camera enforcement, and face the same test of whether construction turns into faster rides.

July 2026