Trump Dragnet That Stopped 34th St. Busway Is Holding Up Tremont Avenue, Too - Streetsblog New York City

"We're trying not to move forward on anything that will draw the ire of the FHWA. In a September letter, the federal government asked the city Department of Transportation and its state-level counterpart to address its concerns about the proposed busway's ability to accommodate commercial deliveries and its impact on surrounding streets - even though the busway would allow commercial delivery trucks, and received the official support of the Trucking Association of New York."

"In October the FHWA threatened in a second letter to block federal funding and approval for transportation projects across New York State unless the city halted work on the busway and both the city and state met with the federal agency to discuss the issue. Both letters demanded updated information about other city busways on other National Highway System streets, including Main Street in Flushing and 181st Street in Washington Heights."

"Tremont Avenue is not a highway, but it still belongs to the National Highway System. The avenue is a MAP-21 Principal Arterial, which is a type of non-highway route serving a major population center. The NHS absorbed the avenue after Congress passed the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act in 2012."

The Federal Highway Administration is preventing New York City from advancing busway projects on streets designated as part of the National Highway System. Tremont Avenue in the Bronx faces delays due to FHWA concerns about commercial delivery accommodation and impacts on surrounding streets, despite the busway allowing delivery trucks and receiving support from the Trucking Association of New York. After the city failed to respond to an initial September letter, the FHWA issued an October threat to block federal funding for transportation projects statewide unless the city halted the busway and met with federal officials. The agency also demanded information about other busways on NHS streets, including Main Street in Flushing and 181st Street in Washington Heights. Tremont Avenue qualifies as a MAP-21 Principal Arterial under the National Highway System designation established by Congress in 2012.

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