B11 (New York City bus)

The B11 is a bus route in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, which serves the corridors of 49th Street and 50th Street. Originally operated by the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation, it is now operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand.

b11
49th/50th Street Line Avenue J Line
Two 2011 C40LFs (249 & 256) at the B11’s eastern layover at Flatbush Avenue & Avenue H in May 2019
Overview
System	MTA Regional Bus Operations
Operator	New York City Transit Authority
Garage	Jackie Gleason Depot
Vehicle	New Flyer C40LF New Flyer Xcelsior XN40
Began service	September 21, 1931
Route
Locale	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Communities served	Sunset Park, Borough Park, Mapleton, Midwood, South Midwood, Little Haiti, Flatbush, East Flatbush
Start	Sunset Park – Brooklyn Army Terminal at First Avenue and 58th Street
Via	50th Street (eastbound only), 49th Street (westbound only), Avenue I, Avenue J
End	Flatbush - Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue at Flatbush Avenue (​ trains)
Length	5.8 miles (9.3 km)
Service
Operates	4:08 AM - 1:05 AM
Annual patronage	2,201,724 (2023)
Transfers	Yes
Timetable	B11
Route map ← B9  {{{system_nav}}}  B12 →

Route description

The B11 bus route starts at First Avenue and 58th Street, near the Brooklyn Army Terminal. It turns left onto Second Avenue, serving the NYU Langone hospital in Brooklyn. From there, it continues its squiggle pattern by making a right onto 52nd Street, a left onto Fourth Avenue and a right onto 50th Street, its eastbound corridor. It heads southeast on 50th Street before turning left onto 20th Avenue and right onto Avenue I. Then it turns right onto Coney Island Avenue and left onto Avenue J, before following the B6 route to Brooklyn College. Both turn left onto Bedford Avenue and right onto Glenwood Road. The B11 then leaves the B6 as it makes two right turns onto Flatbush Avenue, then Nostrand Avenue, and two left turns onto Avenue H, then Flatbush Avenue, before terminating at East 31st Street.

Westbound buses head straight onto Glenwood Road from Flatbush Avenue. From Avenue I, it heads to its westbound corridor, 49th Street, via McDonald and Parkville Avenues, 47th Street and 18th Avenue. After heading northwest on 49th Street, it runs back to NYU Langone via Fourth Avenue, 55th Street, Second Avenue and 53rd Street. It then makes a left on First Avenue to head back to 58th Street.

History

The B11 began service on September 21, 1931 under the operation of Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit, which was sold to the city on June 1, 1940. It originally ran between the Brooklyn Army Terminal and 18th Avenue. On November 12, 1978, daytime service was extended to the Canarsie-Rockaway Parkway station using the B6 route east of Coney Island Avenue.

On May 10, 1987, as a part of a series of changes to B6 and B11 bus service, the route was shortened to the current terminus at Brooklyn College. As part of the change, late night service was extended from 18th Avenue to Brooklyn College. A third-leg transfer would be introduced between the B6 and B11 to ensure that riders would not have to pay a second fare. Overnight service was discontinued on September 10, 1995 due to a budget crisis.

On December 1, 2022, the MTA released a draft redesign of the Brooklyn bus network. As part of the redesign, the B11 will be straightened at its western end, running on 57th Street westbound between First and Second Avenues, and on 56th Street eastbound between Second and Fourth Avenues. Closely-spaced stops would be eliminated, but service to NYU Langone would remain.

External links

• Media related to B11 (New York City bus) at Wikimedia Commons