New York City is preparing a street redesign in Queens that could make trips to LaGuardia Airport faster and more reliable before World Cup visitors arrive. Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn announced a new dedicated bus lane along Broadway between 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue.
The project
The plan would add a center-running eastbound bus lane while keeping one travel lane in each direction for other vehicles. The corridor serves the Q70-SBS, a key connector between LaGuardia Airport, Queens neighborhoods, subway lines, Long Island Rail Road service and local bus routes.
According to the Mayor’s Office, the Q70-SBS corridor carries about 9,000 daily riders. In the evening rush, buses on this stretch can slow to 2.7 miles per hour, meaning some trips move at roughly walking speed.
Why business leaders should care
Airport access is not only a tourism issue. It affects hotel staffing, airport employees, small businesses around Jackson Heights and Elmhurst, and visitors trying to connect from planes to trains, restaurants, offices and events. Faster bus movement can reduce missed shifts, late arrivals and ground transportation friction during high-demand periods.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is forcing cities to stress-test transportation systems. For New York, the more important question is what remains after the tournament. A bus lane that works for international visitors can also work every day for Queens residents, service workers and airport employees.
Timeline
NYC DOT is expected to present the proposal to the local community board and aims to complete the work before World Cup matches begin in June. That gives the project a short public review and installation window, with implementation details likely to matter as much as the policy goal.
Source: NYC Mayor’s Office, May 13, 2026. Read the official release.