M116 (New York City bus)

The 116th Street Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, running mostly along 116th Street. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the M116 bus route, operated by the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority under the New York City Transit brand. It runs between the Upper West Side and East Harlem.

m116
A 2021 Nova Bus LFS HEV (9670) on the East Harlem-bound M116 at Broadway/106th Street
Overview
SystemMTA Regional Bus Operations
OperatorManhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
GarageManhattanville Depot
VehicleNova Bus LFS HEV
New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40
Orion VII NG HEV
Began serviceApril 1, 1936
Route
LocaleManhattan, New York, U.S.
Communities servedUpper West Side, Harlem, East Harlem
StartUpper West Side - 106th Street & Broadway
Via116th Street
EndEast Harlem – 120th Street & Pleasant Avenue
Length2.9 miles (4.7 km)
Service
OperatesAll times except late nights
Annual patronage1,200,701 (2023)[1]
TransfersYes
TimetableM116
← M106  {{{system_nav}}}  M125 →

Route description

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The M116 begins at West 106th Street and Broadway, running west on 106th Street until Manhattan Avenue, before running north on Manhattan Avenue and turning to run east on 116th Street until 1st Avenue, where eastbound buses run north and then loop around the Robert F. Wagner Houses to terminate at Pleasant Avenue. Westbound buses run south on Pleasant Avenue to 116th Street to return to the route.

History

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The New York City Omnibus Corporation bus started the route (M20-20) on April 1, 1936, to replace the New York Railways' 116th Street Crosstown Line streetcar. It has largely remained the same, with the exception of in 1993, when it, along with some other Manhattan crosstown routes, had their designations changed, with the M20 becoming the M116.

As part of a pilot program by the MTA to make five bus routes free (one in each borough), the M116 was selected alongside the B60, Bx18, Q4 and S46/96 to become fare-free in July 2023.[2][3] The pilot program would last six to twelve months and buses would display a "Fare Free" sign, similar to the one used on the Q70.[4] The pilot will run from September 24, 2023 until at least March 30, 2024.[5][6][7] Though ten U.S. Congress members requested in April 2024 that the state government provide additional funding for the fare-free pilot program,[8][9] state lawmakers declined to reauthorize funding for the program.[10] The fare-free program ended on August 31, 2024.[11][12]

References

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  1. ^ "Subway and bus ridership for 2023". mta.info. April 29, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  2. ^ Brachfeld, Ben (July 17, 2023). "MTA announces five bus routes for fare-free pilot". amNewYork. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  3. ^ "Free bus routes will be part of MTA pilot program heading to NYC this fall". NBC New York. July 17, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  4. ^ "Governor Hochul Announces Fare Free Bus Routes Included in MTA Pilot". www.governor.ny.gov. New York State Government. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "Fare-free pilot on five MTA bus routes". new. Metropolitan Transit Authority. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  6. ^ Charlesworth, Michelle (September 23, 2023). "NYC officials assures New Yorkers new MTA fare-free bus program is 'not a pipe dream'". abc7ny.com. ABC 7 New York. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  7. ^ "Free NYC bus routes in each borough start Sunday as part of MTA program: What to know". nbcnewyork.com. NBC New York. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  8. ^ Shkurhan, Iryna (April 6, 2024). "Members of Congress ask Hochul to fund more fare-free buses amid state budget negotiations – QNS". QNS. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  9. ^ Brachfeld, Ben (March 12, 2024). "State lawmakers propose $90 million for more frequent buses, fare-free pilot in budget response". amNewYork. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  10. ^ Brachfeld, Ben (April 21, 2024). "MTA's free bus experiment will end after not being reauthorized in state budget". amNewYork. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  11. ^ Matteo, Mike (August 29, 2024). "NYC fare-free bus pilot to end this weekend: What riders on Staten Island need to know". silive. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  12. ^ Dawson, Athena (August 29, 2024). "MTA's fare-free bus program slated to end in Queens this week". QNS. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
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