The M31 and M57 bus routes constitute the 57th Street Crosstown Line, a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, running primarily along 57th Street. The M31 runs between 11th Avenue and 54th Street in Hell's Kitchen to 1st Avenue and 92nd Street in Yorkville. The M57 runs from 72nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue in the Upper West Side to Sutton Place and 57th Street in Sutton Place.[4][5]

m31, m57
57th Street Crosstown Line
Two 2021 Nova Bus LFS HEVs: 9635 on the Yorkville-bound M31 in June 2024, and 9676 on the Upper West Side-bound M57
Overview
SystemMTA Regional Bus Operations
OperatorManhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
GarageTuskegee Airmen Depot (M31)
Michael J. Quill Depot (M57)
VehicleNova Bus LFS HEV
New Flyer Xcelsior XD40
New Flyer Xcelsior XE40 (M57 only)
Nova Bus LFS Articulated (M31 A.M. rush)
New Flyer Xcelsior XD60 (M31 A.M. rush)
Route
LocaleManhattan, New York, U.S.
Communities servedUpper West Side, Riverside South, Hell's Kitchen, Midtown, Sutton Place, Upper East Side
StartM31: Hell's Kitchen –54th Street and 11th Avenue
M57: Upper West Side –72nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue
Via57th Street
M31: York Avenue
M57: West End Avenue
EndM31: Upper East Side –1st Avenue and 92nd Street
M57: Sutton Place –1st Avenue and 55th Street
Length2.7 miles (4.3 km) (eastbound M57)
3.0 miles (4.8 km) (westbound M57)
3.8 miles (6.1 km) (M31)
Service
OperatesM31: 5 a.m. (7 a.m. weekends) to 12:30 a.m. [1]
M57: 5 a.m. (6:30 a.m. weekends) to 12:30 a.m. [2]
RidershipM31: 2,320,026 (2023)[3]
M57: 1,626,348 (2023)[3]
TransfersYes
TimetableM31 M57
← M23 SBS
M50
 {{{system_nav}}}  M34 SBS
M60 SBS →

The M31 and M57 are legally operated by the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority, a wholly-owned subsidiary of New York City Transit, whose bus routes were consolidated into MTA Regional Bus Operations.

Route description and service

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A 2021 NovaBus LFS HEV (9630) on the Yorkville-bound M31

For most of its length, the M31 uses 57th Street to travel crosstown, then uses York Avenue to travel uptown to 92nd Street and First Avenue.[1][6] At its western end, the M31 turns left on Eleventh Avenue, then left on 54th Street to terminate; eastbound buses return to 57th Street using Tenth Avenue.[1][6] At its northern/eastern end, the M31 goes left on 91st Street then right on First Avenue, terminating along 92nd Street before returning southbound on York Avenue.[6] During morning rush hours, one articulated bus runs on the M31.

The M57 mostly duplicates the M31 along 57th Street.[2][6] The only major difference is that the M57 uses West End Avenue to reach its western terminus at 72nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue. At its eastern end, the M57 reaches First Avenue, eastbound buses turn on 1st, then terminate. Westbound buses then use Sutton Place, 55th Street, and First Avenue to access 57th Street, where they turn back crosstown.[6]

The M57 operates out of Michael J. Quill Depot whereas the M31 operates out of the Tuskegee Airmen Depot.

History

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A 2008 Orion VII NG HEV (3824) on the Hell’s Kitchen-bound M31 at Columbus Circle (57 St-8th Ave), incorrectly displaying Yorkville.

East Side Omnibus Corporation began operating bus route (M11) on June 25, 1933.[4]

The route was renumbered as the M31 on July 1, 1974, as part of the renumbering of bus routes in Manhattan.[7][8]

 
A 1999 Nova Bus RTS-06 (5213) on the M57 at 57th St-7th Ave in August 2018

Buses were introduced on April 17, 1934.[4] Service formerly went between Columbus Circle and Sutton Place.[9] Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating bus #20 on March 15, 1937, from Sutton Place to 12th Avenue to provide river-to-river service for Sutton Place residents at five-minute headways.[9]

The route, formerly numbered M20, became M28 on July 1, 1974, as part of the renumbering of bus routes in Manhattan.[10][7][8]

On September 10, 1989, the M28 (57th Street Crosstown) and M103 (59th/60th Street Crosstown) routes were merged to form the M57. M57 buses began operating from 57th Street and Sutton Place South to Broadway and 72nd Street, running via 57th Street and West End Avenue.[11]

 
 
A 2010 Orion VII NG HEV (4662) on the Yorkville-bound M31, and in August 2018, a 2006 Orion VII OG HEV (6736) at 57th St-7th Ave on the Upper West Side-bound M57.

References

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  1. ^ a b c MTA Regional Bus Operations. "M31 bus schedule".
  2. ^ a b MTA Regional Bus Operations. "M57 bus schedule".
  3. ^ a b "Subway and bus ridership for 2023". mta.info. April 29, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "MTA Bus Time". bt.mta.info. Archived from the original on 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  5. ^ "Manhattan Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Manhattan Bus Map". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Historical Maps". www.nycsubway.org – 1974 Manhattan bus guide – Part 1: The Whole Map. 1974. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "2 BOROUGHS' BUSES GET NEW NUMBERS". The New York Times. June 20, 1974. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Buses to Link 2 Rivers Via 57th St. Monday". The New York Times. March 12, 1937. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  10. ^ "Letters to the Editor". The New York Times. July 23, 1974. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  11. ^ * "Introducing the M57, M58 & M72 routes: Announcing Improved Manhattan Crosstown Bus Service Starting Sunday, September 10, 1989". New York City Transit Authority. 1989. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2018.