M34 and M34A buses

The 34th Street Crosstown Line is a surface transit line on 34th Street in Manhattan, New York City, United States. It currently hosts the M34/M34A SBS routes of MTA's Regional Bus Operations. The M34 runs from 12th Avenue to FDR Drive via 34th Street, while the M34A runs from Port Authority Bus Terminal to Waterside Plaza.

m34
m34A
34th Street Crosstown Line
An eastbound M34 bus, Prior to the Select Bus Service implementation.
Overview
SystemMTA Regional Bus Operations
OperatorNew York City Transit Authority
GarageMichael J. Quill Depot
VehicleNova Bus LFS articulated
New Flyer Xcelsior XD60
New Flyer Xcelsior XE60
LiverySelect Bus Service
Route
LocaleManhattan, New York, U.S.
Communities servedHudson Yards, Hell's Kitchen, Midtown, Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Waterside Plaza
StartM34: 33rd Street and 12th Avenue
M34A: 8th Avenue and 40th Street
Via34th Street
EndM34: FDR Drive and 35th Street
M34A: Waterside Plaza
LengthM34: 2 miles (3.2 km)
M34A: 2.5 miles (4.0 km)
Service
Operates5 a.m. (weekdays) or 6:30 a.m. (weekends) to 12:30 a.m.[1]
Ridership2,596,788 (2022)[2]
TransfersYes
TimetableM34/M34A SBS
 M31
M15 SBS (by borough)
M15 SBS (by route number)
 {{{system_nav}}}  M35
Bx41 SBS
M60 SBS 

Route

For most of its length, the M34 uses 34th Street to travel crosstown. There is a one-block stretch of the westbound route, between 11th and 12th Avenues, that runs along 33rd Street; this is because the M34 needs to terminate along the northbound West Side Highway.[1][3] At its eastern end, the M34 turns north onto the service road under FDR Drive to terminate at the East 34th Street Ferry Landing, which requires the M34 to make a U-turn at 35th Street and down southbound FDR Drive for one block.[1][3]

The M34A uses a different route than the M34 at its western and eastern ends. It travels along Eighth Avenue northbound and Ninth Avenue southbound between 34th Street and 43rd Street (using 43rd Street to terminate westbound), thereby serving the Port Authority Bus Terminal.[1][3] It also uses Second Avenue southbound and the FDR Drive service road northbound between 23rd Street and 34th Street in order to serve its Waterside Plaza terminus as well as Peter Cooper Village. The eastbound segment of the M34A between Second Avenue and FDR Drive uses 23rd Street.[1][3]

Stops

Station
Street traveled
Route Direction Connections
M34 only
Twelfth Avenue
West 34th Street
M34 Westbound terminal,
Eastbound stop
NYC Bus: M12 (northbound only)
Eleventh Avenue / Javits Center
West 34th Street
Bidirectional NYC Bus: M12 (southbound only)
NYC Subway: "7" train"7" express train trains at 34th Street–Hudson Yards
Hudson Park Boulevard
West 34th Street
Westbound
Tenth Avenue
West 34th Street
Eastbound NYC Bus: M11 (northbound only)
Dyer Avenue
West 34th Street
Westbound NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only)
M34A only
43rd Street / Port Authority Bus Terminal
Eighth Avenue
M34A Westbound terminal NYC Bus: M20, M104 (all buses northbound only); (M42 at 42nd St)
Port Authority Bus Terminal
NYC Subway: "1" train"2" train"3" train"7" train"7" express train"A" train"C" train"E" train"N" train"Q" train"R" train"W" train42nd Street Shuttle trains at Times Square–42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal
42nd Street
Ninth Avenue
Eastbound station NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only); M42
40th Street
Eighth Avenue
Westbound NYC Bus: M20, M104 (all buses northbound only); (M42 at 42nd St)
Port Authority Bus Terminal
NYC Subway: "1" train"2" train"3" train"7" train"7" express train"A" train"C" train"E" train"N" train"Q" train"R" train"W" train42nd Street Shuttle trains at Times Square–42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal
39th Street
Ninth Avenue
Eastbound NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only)
37th Street
Eighth Avenue
Westbound NYC Bus: M20, M104 (all buses northbound only)
Common Stops
Ninth Avenue
West 34th Street
Both routes (EB)
M34 (WB)
Bidirectional NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only)
Eighth Avenue / Penn Station / MSG
West 34th Street
Both routes NYC Bus: M20 (northbound only)
NYC Subway: "A" train"C" train"E" train trains at 34th Street–Penn Station
Penn Station: Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit
Seventh Avenue / Penn Station / MSG
West 34th Street
NYC Bus: M7, M20 (all buses southbound only)
NYC Subway: "1" train"2" train"3" train trains at 34th Street–Penn Station
Penn Station: Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit
Sixth Avenue / Broadway / Herald Square
West 34th Street
NYC Bus: M5, M7, M55 (all buses northbound only)
NYC Subway: "B" train"D" train"F" train"F" express train"M" train"N" train"Q" train"R" train"W" train trains at 34th Street–Herald Square
PATH: HOB – 33, JSQ – 33, JSQ – 33 (via HOB) trains at 33rd Street
Fifth Avenue / Empire State Building
East 34th Street
NYC Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M55, Q32 (all buses southbound only)
NYC Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, Q32 (all buses northbound only) at Madison Avenue
Park Avenue
East 34th Street
NYC Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, Q32 (all buses northbound only) at Madison Avenue
NYC Subway: "6" train"6" express train train at 33rd Street
NYC Bus: M101, M102, M103 (all buses southbound only) at Lexington Avenue
Third Avenue
East 34th Street
NYC Bus: M101, M102, M103 (all buses southbound only) at Lexington Avenue
NYC Bus: M101, M102, M103 (all buses northbound only)
Second Avenue
East 34th Street
NYC Bus: M15, M15 SBS (all buses southbound only)
First Avenue
East 34th Street
Both routes westbound
M34 eastbound
NYC Bus: M15, M15 SBS (all buses northbound only)
29th Street
FDR Drive
Both routes Westbound
28th Street
Second Avenue
Eastbound NYC Bus: M9, M15, M15 SBS (all buses southbound only)
Waterside Plaza
25th Street
Eastbound terminus,
Westbound stop
23rd Street
Second Avenue
Eastbound NYC Bus: M9, M15, M15 SBS (all buses southbound only); M23 SBS
First Avenue
VA Hospital
NYC Bus: M15, M15 SBS (all buses northbound only); M9, M23 SBS
Avenue C
23rd Street
M34 only
Marginal Street
East River Ferry Terminal
M34 Eastbound terminal,
Westbound stop
NY Waterway: East River Ferry
Station

Street traveled

Route Direction Connections
M34 only
Twelfth AvenueWest 34th Street M34 Westbound terminal,

Eastbound stop

NYC Bus: M12 (northbound only)
Eleventh Avenue / Javits Center

West 34th Street

Bidirectional NYC Bus: M12 (southbound only)

NYC Subway: "7" train"7" express train trains at 34th Street–Hudson Yards

Hudson Park Boulevard

West 34th Street

Westbound
Tenth AvenueWest 34th Street Eastbound NYC Bus: M11 (northbound only)
Dyer AvenueWest 34th Street Westbound NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only)
M34A only
43rd Street / Port Authority Bus Terminal

Eighth Avenue

M34A Westbound terminal NYC Bus: M20, M104 (all buses northbound only); (M42 at 42nd St)

Port Authority Bus Terminal NYC Subway: "1" train"2" train"3" train"7" train"7" express train"A" train"C" train"E" train"N" train"Q" train"R" train"W" train42nd Street Shuttle trains at Times Square–42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal

42nd StreetNinth Avenue Eastbound station NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only); M42
40th StreetEighth Avenue Westbound NYC Bus: M20, M104 (all buses northbound only); (M42 at 42nd St)

Port Authority Bus Terminal NYC Subway: "1" train"2" train"3" train"7" train"7" express train"A" train"C" train"E" train"N" train"Q" train"R" train"W" train42nd Street Shuttle trains at Times Square–42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal

39th StreetNinth Avenue Eastbound NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only)
37th StreetEighth Avenue Westbound NYC Bus: M20, M104 (all buses northbound only)
Common Stops
Ninth AvenueWest 34th Street Both routes (EB)

M34 (WB)

Bidirectional NYC Bus: M11 (southbound only)
Eighth Avenue / Penn Station / MSG

West 34th Street

Both routes NYC Bus: M20 (northbound only)

NYC Subway:  "A" train"C" train"E" train trains at 34th Street–Penn Station Penn Station: Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit

Seventh Avenue / Penn Station / MSG

West 34th Street

NYC Bus: M7, M20 (all buses southbound only)

NYC Subway: "1" train"2" train"3" train trains at 34th Street–Penn Station Penn Station: Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit

Sixth Avenue / Broadway/ Herald Square

West 34th Street

NYC Bus: M5, M7, M55 (all buses northbound only)

NYC Subway: "B" train"D" train"F" train"F" express train"M" train"N" train"Q" train"R" train"W" train trains at 34th Street–Herald Square PATH: HOB – 33, JSQ – 33, JSQ – 33 (via HOB) trains at 33rd Street

Fifth Avenue / Empire State Building

East 34th Street

NYC Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M55, Q32 (all buses southbound only)

NYC Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, Q32 (all buses northbound only) at Madison Avenue

Park AvenueEast 34th Street NYC Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, Q32 (all buses northbound only) at Madison AvenueNYC Subway: "6" train"6" express train train at 33rd Street

NYC Bus: M101, M102, M103 (all buses southbound only) at Lexington Avenue

Third AvenueEast 34th Street NYC Bus: M101, M102, M103 (all buses southbound only) at Lexington AvenueNYC Bus: M101, M102, M103 (all buses northbound only)
Second AvenueEast 34th Street NYC Bus: M15, M15 SBS (all buses southbound only)
First AvenueEast 34th Street Both routes westbound

M34 eastbound

NYC Bus: M15, M15 SBS (all buses northbound only)
29th StreetFDR Drive Both routes Westbound
28th StreetSecond Avenue Eastbound NYC Bus: M9, M15, M15 SBS (all buses southbound only)
Waterside Plaza25th Street Eastbound terminus,

Westbound stop

23rd StreetSecond Avenue Eastbound NYC Bus: M9, M15, M15 SBS (all buses southbound only); M23 SBS
First AvenueVA Hospital NYC Bus: M15, M15 SBS (all buses northbound only); M9, M23 SBS
Avenue C23rd Street
M34 only
Marginal Street

East River Ferry Terminal

M34 Eastbound terminal,

Westbound stop

NY Waterway: East River Ferry

History

The 34th Street Crosstown Line as a streetcar at Broadway in the early 20th Century.
Citi Field
Arthur Ashe Stadium
An M34 (left) and M16 (right) prior to SBS implementation.

Streetcar line

The Thirty-Fourth Street Crosstown Railway was chartered on March 18, 1896, being a consolidation of the Thirty-Fourth Street Railroad Company and the Thirty-Fourth Street Ferry & Eleventh Avenue Railroad. The stock of the company was owned by the Metropolitan Street Railway. The streetcar line was previously a horsecar line, and in July 1900 the line began running via storage batteries, but in September 1903 it was changed to using an underground third rail.[4]

Local bus service

New York City Omnibus Corporation bus route (M19 - 16) replaced New York Railways' 34th Street Crosstown Line streetcar on April 1, 1936.[5][6][7]

In April 1986, the main bus route was renamed the M34.

In April 2001, the MTA announced a planned reroute of the M34 to serve the 34th Street Ferry Terminal. Buses, at the time, eastbound buses had traveled north via First Avenue and turned east onto East 36th Street, where the route terminated, and westbound buses headed east along East 36th Street, south via FDR Drive West Service Road, and west along East 34th Street. To serve the ferry terminal, eastbound service would run east along East 34th Street, over the FDR Drive Service Roads, and turn north into the bus staging area at the pier, and westbound service would leave from the northern end of the terminal area at East 35th Street, turn south on the FDR Drive West Service Road and head west on East 34th Street. The change was to be implemented in April 2001.[8]

In 2010, it was one of seven local bus routes in Manhattan to participate in a PayPass smart card program. This program was a pilot program meant to find a suitable smart card technology to replace the MetroCard.[9][10]

In August 2010, a program was implemented along the M16 and M34 routes, in which riders could track arriving buses. This later became MTA Bus Time.[11]

Select Bus Service

A standard-length Orion VII NG bus, used by M34/M34A SBS.

The M34 SBS and M34A SBS routes began on November 13, 2011.[12] Like other Select Bus Service corridors, off-board fare payment is used, as well as all-door boarding.[13] These are considered by the MTA as two SBS services, the M34 34th Street Crosstown and the former M16 route, which was renamed the M34A; the routes share a single corridor.[14][12] The stops are listed below from west to east. Red-painted bus lanes were installed on 34th Street between First Avenue and Eleventh Avenue.[15] The stops at Madison Avenue and Lexington Avenue were eliminated, the westbound stop at Tenth Avenue was moved to Dyer Avenue, and a stop at West 43rd Street near Ninth Avenue was moved consolidated with a stop at 42nd Street near that avenue. A part-time stop at West 38th Street and Ninth Avenue was moved to West 39th Street.[16][17]

On April 8, 2012, as part of a pilot program that expanded on the 2010 pilot, MTA Bus Time was phased into this route.[18] In April 2012, weekend service on the route was increased.[19]

Starting in early 2013, bus bulbs were installed at twelve locations along 34th Street, allowing buses to stay in the bus lane while stopping.[15] In November 2015, the section between Lexington Avenue and Seventh Avenue was completed with the installation of four new bus bulbs, resurfaced streets, new parking spaces, and newly painted bus lanes. The portion between 12th Avenue and Lexington Avenue included the construction of eight bus bulbs at bus stops and one curb extension. The remaining segment, between Lexington Avenue and the FDR Drive Service Road is expected to be completed by December 2016. The remaining portion would install three bus bulbs at bus stops and would build two curb extensions.[20] The entire cost of the project is $27 million. In its first year of operation, there has been 23% time savings. Since 2011, there has been 12% ridership growth on the route, while overall, bus ridership has been decreasing in Manhattan.[21][22]

References

  1. MTA Regional Bus Operations. "M34 bus schedule" (PDF).
  2. "Facts and Figures". mta.info. August 28, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  3. "Manhattan Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  4. Street Railway Section of the Commercial & Financial Chronicle. Wm. B. Dana Company. January 1, 1902.
  5. "NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ROUTES". www.chicagorailfan.com. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  6. "BUS LINE REPLACES 34TH ST. TROLLEY; Ceremony With Smith in Brown Derby Marks Passing of Outmoded System. TRACK REMOVAL PROMISED Mayor Says It Will Follow End of Litigation -- 116th Street Also Gets Motor Transit". The New York Times. April 2, 1936. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  7. "STREET CARS' KNELL SOUNDED BY COURT; Last Obstacle to Motorizing Rest of Manhattan Lines Is Removed by Manton. BOND DEAL IS APPROVED Fifth Av. Coach Unit Is Upheld in Purchase -- Trolleys to Go on 34th St. Wednesday". The New York Times. March 29, 1936. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  8. April 2001 NYC Transit Committee Agenda. New York City Transit Authority. July 19, 2001. pp. 93, 94, 95, 96.
  9. "MTA Launches Smart Card Pilot Program". MTA. May 28, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  10. Kaminer, Ariel (June 11, 2010). "Testing PayPass on New York's Buses and Trains". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  11. Kazis, Noah (October 15, 2010). "Track 34th Street Buses From Your Computer or Phone". Streetsblog New York City. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  12. "Select Bus Service Arrives at 34th Street". www.mta.info. November 14, 2011. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  13. "Introducing 34 St Select Bus Service". MTA.info (YouTube). November 14, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  14. "34th Street Select Bus Service Newsletter 1/July 2011" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of Transportation. July 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  15. "MTA Select Bus Service | M34/M34A 34th Street". web.mta.info. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  16. Colvin, Jill (November 14, 2011). "Launch of 34th Street Select Bus Service Confounds Some Commuters". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  17. "Select Bus Service Coming to 34th Street". www.mta.info. October 7, 2011. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  18. "MTA Bus Time to Debut Sunday on the M34/M34A SBS Crosstown". www.mta.info (Press release). Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  19. "34th Street Select Bus Service Newsletter 2/August 2012" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of Transportation. August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 31, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  20. "34th Street Select Bus Service Newsletter 3/Winter 2016" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of Transportation. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 8, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  21. "Select Bus Service Report" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Transit, New York City Department of Transportation. 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  22. Kazis, Noah (May 8, 2012). "Off-Board Fare Payment Means MTA Can Run 24 More 34th St. Buses a Day". Streetsblog New York City. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
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