Skip to content

Empty Bike and Bus Lanes Are A Feature, Not a Bug

People stuck in a car in a lane next to a bus or bike lane shouldn’t be mad at the bus or the bike lane. If they had access to the bus or bike lane, it, too, would quickly clog with cars and trucks.
Empty Bike and Bus Lanes Are A Feature, Not a Bug

This essay is part of Streetsblog’s “Car Harms” series, a package of stories designed to remind policymakers and the public of the hidden costs, dangers, inefficiencies and just plain old sadness that come from building our city around the needs of drivers. Auto-dependency has undermined the joy and beauty of our great urban spaces, and that must change. Click here to read the full series.

And if you are moved to make a small donation to keep series like these going in the future, please click here.

One measure of the pernicious dominance of cars on urban streets – even on Manhattan streets – is how often you don’t even notice them.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog USA

Tuesday’s Headlines Curb Their Enthusiasm

April 21, 2026

‘Best Bikeshare in America’: An Unexpected Community Launches Free, All-Electric Micromobility For Residents

April 21, 2026

‘A Solution, But To What Problem?’ Experts Say AVs Are The Elephant In The Room, But There’s Still Time To Figure Out Their Role

April 20, 2026

When Traffic Violence Hits The Same Family Twice — Years Apart, On Exactly the Same Street

April 20, 2026

Monday’s Headlines Should Wean Themselves Off Fossil Fuels

April 20, 2026
See all posts