Bus lane and bus corridor photo enforcement signs on Staten Island.
Photo by Barbara Russo-Lennon
Confusing signage and camera culture is contributing to a dangerous traffic trend on Staten Island, borough officials said on Tuesday.
A recent uptick in collisions related to unlawful right turning on Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island’s main thoroughfare, prompted the NYPD and Borough President Vito Fossella to raise awareness about the issue during a public-service announcement at the 122nd Precinct on Aug. 5.
In 2025, 32 collisions occurred at various intersections along the boulevard involving vehicles making a right turn from the middle lane, instead of the curb-side bus lane.
Bus lanes are only active on Hylan Boulevard during weekday rush hours. Police officials said bus lane hours on Hylan Boulevard from Steuben Street to Nelson Avenue on the northbound side are in effect Monday through Friday, 6 to 9 a.m., and intermittently on the southbound side of Hylan Boulevard Monday through Friday, 3 to 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, Fossella said seven collisions caused by middle-lane right turns took place in July.
“That’s one accident every four days where somebody perhaps unwittingly thinks they must turn from the middle lane in order to make a right-hand turn,” the beep said. “But other than those hours of 6 to 9 a.m. going toward the Verrazzano Bridge and 3 to 7 p.m. going toward Tottenville, the bus lane is open for use.”
But drivers said the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) signs are confusing. While some signs state the hours when the bus lanes are active, others only read, “Bus Corridor Photo Enforced,” possibly leading drivers to think they will be ticketed if they use the bus lane.
“People definitely don’t know when they can enter a bus lane and when they shouldn’t,” Mike, a driver from the Mid Island area, said. “The DOT did a poor job educating the public when this rolled out.”
The signs do not indicate when the cameras are in use, or where they are located.
“We want the city to take a more proactive approach to understand what is going on, perhaps more signage, perhaps more signs in the roadbed itself, bigger signs on the poles,” the borough president said. “Somebody is going to get severely hurt if they haven’t done so already.”
The NYPD’s commanding officer of Staten Island Melissa Eger said the improper turns have become “too common” in the borough.
“These unsafe turning behaviors, especially improper turns from the middle lane, have become far too common in Staten Island,” she said. “These actions put drivers, pedestrians and cyclists at serious risk.”
Though the bus lanes are open for “general travel,” there are still drivers who will not use them because of the automated camera enforcement.
“There are signs all over the boulevard that say cameras are watching, and the street is painted ‘bus lane’ so I avoid it,” Anthony from Eltingville said.
amNewYork contacted the DOT for clarification on the bus lane signage and is awaiting a response.
Meanwhile, per NYS legislation passed in 2023, the MTA expanded Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE) throughout the city. The only bus that uses ACE on Hylan Boulevard is the S79-Select Bus Service.
An “anti-car culture” in NYC
Fossella said that citywide there are “all types of cameras” that contribute to an “anti-car” sentiment within the city.
NYC is home to a robust set of camera programs that enforce traffic rules. Most recently, the city’s speed camera program got an extra boost from Gov. Kathy Hochul after she signed legislation in June renewing the program through July 1, 2030.
“I think there is a good chunk of people who are concerned they are going to get nailed unnecessarily,” he said.
Fossella said he will begin talking with DOT for a plan for moving forward.
In the meantime, a DOT spokesperson told amNewYork that the signs indicate when vehicles can use the bus lanes.
“These bus lanes—and their rules—have been in place since 2012 and help riders on Staten Island’s busiest route get to their destinations quickly and efficiently,” the spokesperson said. “There is signage and markings on the corridor that communicate private vehicles can enter the bus lane to make right turns as indicated by markings and signage, and we will explore additional measures to communicate that rule.”
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