M22 (New York City bus)

M22 (New York City bus) is a local bus route operated by the New York City Transit Authority within the borough of Manhattan. The route connects the residential and commercial districts of Battery Park City and the Financial District with the residential complexes and transportation hubs of the Lower East Side and Kips Bay. It primarily runs along Church Street, Park Row, and Pike Street, serving as a crucial north-south link below 14th Street.

Route description

The M22 originates at the Battery Park City ferry terminal, adjacent to the Battery Maritime Building and the Staten Island Ferry's Whitehall Terminal. It proceeds north on South End Avenue before turning onto Murray Street and then Church Street, passing landmarks like the World Trade Center site, St. Paul's Chapel, and the African Burial Ground National Monument. At Park Row, it navigates the complex intersection near City Hall Park, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Manhattan Municipal Building. The route continues east on St. James Place and north on Pike Street, serving the Lower East Side and passing the Confucius Plaza apartments before terminating at Waterside Plaza along the East River, near Bellevue Hospital and the FDR Drive.

History

The route's origins trace back to private streetcar lines operated by the Third Avenue Railway and the New York Railways Company in the early 20th century, which served the East Side corridor. Following the unification of New York City's transit under the New York City Board of Transportation, the M22 was established as a bus route, replacing streetcar service along portions of Park Row and Pike Street in the late 1940s. Significant route adjustments occurred after the September 11 attacks due to security closures around the World Trade Center site, and again during the redevelopment of the Battery Park City waterfront. The route was temporarily suspended following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which flooded the South Street Seaport area and damaged infrastructure.

Service patterns and stops

The M22 operates daily from approximately 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM, with weekday headways of 10-20 minutes and weekend headways of 30 minutes. Major northbound stops include Battery Park City Ferry Terminal, Vesey Street, Fulton Street near the Fulton Center, Chambers Street at the New York County Courthouse, Worth Street near the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, and Madison Street by the Alfred E. Smith Houses. Southbound service originates at Waterside Plaza, with key stops at Rutgers Street near the Seward Park Library, Catherine Street, Frankfort Street, and Park Row adjacent to the New York City Police Museum. The route interfaces with several New York City Subway lines, including the at Park Place and the at Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall.

Fleet and operations

The M22 is operated out of the Michael J. Quill Depot in Midtown Manhattan, managed by the New York City Transit Authority's MABSTOA division. The primary vehicles assigned are 40-foot New Flyer Xcelsior diesel-electric hybrid buses, which are part of a broader fleet modernization initiative by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. All buses are equipped with Automated Fare Collection systems for OMNY and MetroCard payment, Automated Annunciator systems for stop announcements, and are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act via wheelchair ramps and priority seating. Daily operations are coordinated from the New York City Transit Authority's Rail Control Center.

Ridership and performance

According to Metropolitan Transportation Authority reports, the M22 served approximately 1.2 million riders in 2023. Ridership demographics include a high proportion of residents from Battery Park City, the Lower East Side, and Kips Bay, as well as employees of institutions like Bellevue Hospital and municipal offices near City Hall. Key performance metrics monitored by the MTA Bus Time system include on-time performance, which is affected by traffic congestion on Park Row and around the World Trade Center, and average bus speeds. The route's performance is periodically reviewed as part of the MTA's Fast Forward plan, with proposed improvements focusing on transit signal priority and bus lane enforcement along sections of Church Street.

Category:Bus transportation in Manhattan Category:New York City bus routes