M79 (New York City bus)

The M79 bus runs crosstown along 79th Street in Upper Manhattan. The route begins at West 79th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side. It proceeds east along 79th Street to Amsterdam Avenue, where the eastbound bus uses Amsterdam Avenue to get to 81st Street; the westbound bus uses 81st Street to get to Columbus Avenue and then takes that down to 79th Street. After Central Park West, the bus then crosses the 79th Street Transverse through the park, with a stop about halfway through the transverse. The M79 exits the transverse at East 79th Street and Fifth Avenue, continuing on East 79th Street through the Upper East Side until turning left onto York Avenue and then right again onto 80th Street before arriving to its terminus at 80th Street. The bus then turns right on East End Avenue and then right onto 79th Street to start its westbound route. The westbound bus then continues on 79th Street to Fifth Avenue. After this, the bus keeps straight and merges onto the 79th Street Transverse. It then leaves the Transverse on the intersection of Central Park West and 81st Street and continues along 81st Street to Columbus Avenue and then turns left onto it and then turns right onto 79th Street two blocks later. It continues along 79th Street to its westbound terminus at Riverside Drive. == History ==

implementation. Early history On November 30, 1921, the New York City Department of Plants and Structures began operating the 79th Street Crosstown M17 bus route. From 1933 to 1936 the bus line was operated by Green Bus Lines. On June 22, 1936, the New York City Omnibus Corporation took over operation of the route. On September 27, 1987, the M17 was renumbered the M79, and some minor changes were made at the route's western terminal to eliminate having the route turn around on residential streets. The route's terminal was moved from West End Avenue and 81st Street to 79th Street and Riverside Drive. Westbound buses would continue west on 79th Street past Broadway to Riverside Drive to the terminal and then loop around the traffic circle to return in eastbound service. Previously, buses had a terminal loop of Broadway, 81st Street, West End Avenue, and 79th Street. Select Bus Service The M79 was identified as a potential bus rapid transit corridor in 2009, under Phase II of the city's Select Bus Service program, and in a December 2013 study by the Pratt Center for Community Development of Brooklyn. To accommodate the Select Bus Service conversion, 79th Street was to be renovated with plants and trees, and new benches. The M79 SBS route debuted on May 21, 2017. It is currently based out of the Michael J. Quill Depot. ==In popular culture==

• The route is mentioned in a Vampire Weekend song of the same name on their self-titled debut album. ==References==