The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will begin bus operations at a newly constructed interim bus terminal located at 90-01 168th Street in Jamaica, starting Sunday, June 1, as part of a transition plan tied to the upcoming redevelopment of the existing 165th Street/Jamaica Bus Terminal.
The temporary relocation will affect 10 MTA bus routes and five Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) bus routes that currently serve nearly 10,000 daily riders. The interim terminal is situated just one block east of the current facility on 165th Street and maintains the same connectivity to Jamaica Avenue’s commercial corridor and bus transfer points.
The MTA has leased the interim terminal space—formerly a commercial parking lot—from the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation. This allows the agency to continue uninterrupted service while the long-term redevelopment of the 165th Street terminal site takes place.
Bus routes operating out of the new 168th Street terminal include:
- MTA Bus Routes: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q6, Q8, Q9, Q36, Q41, Q76, Q77
- NICE Bus Routes: N1, N6/N6X, N22/N22X, N24, N26
“It was critical that we found a location nearby to continue running bus service as smoothly as possible, while developers at 165 St rebuild their site,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “Thankfully, the temporary bus terminal is only one block over and the anticipated redevelopment of the site will build up-to-date infrastructure that complements the new electric buses we expect to receive in a few years.”
To assist riders with the transition, the MTA is updating bus stop signage and installing posters at the existing 165th Street terminal. In addition, MTA Bus Time will reflect the new terminal location starting June 1. MTA personnel, also referred to as “customer ambassadors,” will be stationed at both terminal sites during the initial days of the move to provide directions and answer questions.
The redevelopment of the 165th Street/Jamaica Bus Terminal is separate from the Jamaica Bus Depot Expansion project, which is being planned under a different capital initiative. While the design details for the new terminal at 165th Street are still being finalized, the MTA has emphasized the project’s long-term goal of improving infrastructure to align with its shift toward electric bus fleets.
This temporary terminal is expected to remain in operation until redevelopment at the 165th Street site is completed.
