19 replies to this topic

[mark1447]

HOV lane for buses and cars with passengers coming to Verrazano Bridge when MTA completes overhaul of span



Bus riders and some drivers will get across the Verrazano Bridge quicker when the MTA completes its $345 million overhaul of the span, officials said Monday.

The project includes creating a high-occupancy-vehicle lane for buses and cars with passengers.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is eliminating walkways and the center median for the HOV lane, which will be used for traffic heading to Brooklyn in the morning and reversed for Staten Island-bound traffic in the evening rush.

The bulk of the project, expected to be completed in late 2017 or in 2018, involves replacing the upper-level deck.

During construction, a total of six lanes will remain on both levels for traffic heading in the peak rush-hour direction, authorities said.

MTA board member Allan Cappelli estimated the new HOV lane could shave off 15 minutes from a trip between Staten Island and Brooklyn or lower Manhattan.

Source: http://www.nydailyne...2#ixzz1ysLIEnTH

[lilbluefoxie]

Will this new HOV lane have connections to the Belt Parkway exit? and will it be useable all the time, currently the HOV lane setup in Staten Island makes it a bus only lane during the off peak, whereas carpools can use the HOV lane on the LIE any time they want. This thing can really cut some travel time off of many a Long Island family roadtrip.

[KeystoneRegional]

Well, hopefully it can work, but really it's perhaps not going to benefit bus riders, rather benefit the "car poolers" or "families with childrens".

[qjtransitmaster]

Well, hopefully it can work, but really it's perhaps not going to benefit bus riders, rather benefit the "car poolers" or "families with childrens".

dont underestimate it it may benefit more ppl including express bus users. But they need a HOV along the entire length of I-278 from gowanus to BQE.

[qjtransitmaster]

Will this new HOV lane have connections to the Belt Parkway exit? and will it be useable all the time, currently the HOV lane setup in Staten Island makes it a bus only lane during the off peak, whereas carpools can use the HOV lane on the LIE any time they want. This thing can really cut some travel time off of many a Long Island family roadtrip.

why bother being on a transit forum if your gonna post comments like this.

[lilbluefoxie]

why bother being on a transit forum if your gonna post comments like this.

First off its in the Roads and Highways subforum, secondly explain to me what is so offensive about asking how the carpool lane is going to benefit carpoolers, not single occupant cars. Thirdly im not the one proposing totally impractical bus route ideas that have gotten me banned from the site on a couple of occasions.

I am a train and bus photographer primarily, I dont use mass transit regularly, only when im heading to manhattan or far out in Suffolk. Like I have already explained to Joel, I do support mass transit improvements like the LIRR third mainline track, the west hempstead service restoration, as well as east side access. Just cuz i happen to like to drive my car around to places doesnt mean I am automatically against mass transit. I use whatever transportation method is fastest and most practical for what im doing and where i am going.

[mark1447]

Lets not go off the line guys.

why bother being on a transit forum if your gonna post comments like this.

o_O I do hope you realize that Transit also includes Roads and Highways (Even Airplanes, Ferries etc, anything that gets you from A to B ).. Just because this forum focuses more on the MTA, doesn't mean it has to be only about that.

And yes this is a Sub-Forum, which pretty much applies globally.

Edited by mark1447, 26 June 2012 - 10:16 PM.

[KeystoneRegional]

dont underestimate it it may benefit more ppl including express bus users. But they need a HOV along the entire length of I-278 from gowanus to BQE.

LOL, the bus riders would be annoyed because the automobile traffic is going to slow down their commute, you'll see.

[checkmatechamp13]

Will this new HOV lane have connections to the Belt Parkway exit? and will it be useable all the time, currently the HOV lane setup in Staten Island makes it a bus only lane during the off peak, whereas carpools can use the HOV lane on the LIE any time they want. This thing can really cut some travel time off of many a Long Island family roadtrip.

That never made any sense. They're encouraging cars to use it at the point when the most buses are using it. So when you have a bus passing by every minute or less (considering 6 routes use it), you're encouraging more cars in the lane, but when the buses run every 20-60 minutes and the lane is virtually empty, you forbid cars from using it.

I don't necessarily disagree with using it as an HOV lane during rush hour (though I think it should be HOV 3+ or maybe even 4+ instead of 2+), but I'm saying it should definitely be used as an HOV lane off-peak (again, as 3+)

LOL, the bus riders would be annoyed because the automobile traffic is going to slow down their commute, you'll see.

Not really considering that they have to sit in automobile traffic anyway (except during the stretch where they have the bus lane)

In any case, looks like Roadcruiser is going to get his wish. Personally, I think it's a good idea, but don't actually recall getting caught in traffic on the VZ Bridge. It's always moved fairly well from experience (not saying traffic jams don't happen, but just that I'm never in them)

[lilbluefoxie]

That never made any sense. They're encouraging cars to use it at the point when the most buses are using it. So when you have a bus passing by every minute or less (considering 6 routes use it), you're encouraging more cars in the lane, but when the buses run every 20-60 minutes and the lane is virtually empty, you forbid cars from using it.

I don't necessarily disagree with using it as an HOV lane during rush hour (though I think it should be HOV 3+ or maybe even 4+ instead of 2+), but I'm saying it should definitely be used as an HOV lane off-peak (again, as 3+)



Not really considering that they have to sit in automobile traffic anyway (except during the stretch where they have the bus lane)

In any case, looks like Roadcruiser is going to get his wish. Personally, I think it's a good idea, but don't actually recall getting caught in traffic on the VZ Bridge. It's always moved fairly well from experience (not saying traffic jams don't happen, but just that I'm never in them)

I got stuck in traffic the last time I was on the Verrazano bridge, the belt parkway exit ramp and merge was backed up so bad it backed up onto the bridge.

[qjtransitmaster]

Lets not go off the line guys.



o_O I do hope you realize that Transit also includes Roads and Highways (Even Airplanes, Ferries etc, anything that gets you from A to B ).. Just because this forum focuses more on the MTA, doesn't mean it has to be only about that.

And yes this is a Sub-Forum, which pretty much applies globally.

I salute you you and lilbluefoxie pointed it out beautifully. I got banned ehh guess its my fault for not explaining any in detail cause if I did that wouldn't happen. Since when was streamlining bus routes considered ridiculous?

I got stuck in traffic the last time I was on the Verrazano bridge, the belt parkway exit ramp and merge was backed up so bad it backed up onto the bridge.

Belt parkway is a complete CLUSTERf**k You can be backed up on a weekend from SE brooklyn ALL the way to SI!!! heck its so bad its safe so say a bus on local roads with LTD stops super LTD can go faster than the belt its that bad

[lilbluefoxie]

when I was there, it actually was only backed up by the merge from the Verrezano ramp and then by the construction between exits 11 and 13. It got backed up again around Exit 17 cuz of an accident then it started moving again till the usual slowdown by the JFK Expressway merge, but the Laurelton segment moved and then I turn off to the Southern State Parkway

[qjtransitmaster]

when I was there, it actually was only backed up by the merge from the Verrezano ramp and then by the construction between exits 11 and 13. It got backed up again around Exit 17 cuz of an accident then it started moving again till the usual slowdown by the JFK Expressway merge, but the Laurelton segment moved and then I turn off to the Southern State Parkway

the belt is a big disaster backroads are faster. BELT in nyc is like DC's beltway 1 BIG HOT MESS

[lilbluefoxie]

It really depends on what time you go, like I said it only backed up in 3 spots when I was there on a sunday afternoon, and in the other direction it backed up only by the drawbridge construction, and this was around 11am on a friday. Theres times I pick up friends and relatives from the airport and its backed up starting around exit 21B, and lucky I only need to go to Exit 20 then.

I've even gotten through the Cross Bronx before with minimal delay at times as well.

[peacemak3r]

Yeah if you get caught in rush hour with Cross Bronx, might as well turn your car off. Same goes to Van Wyck and Gowanus (Gowanus heading towards Manhattan only though.)

Having a HOV lane would benefit Verrazano but where would they place it? Considering that the left lane on the top level goes to the Belt.

[lilbluefoxie]

Yeah if you get caught in rush hour with Cross Bronx, might as well turn your car off. Same goes to Van Wyck and Gowanus (Gowanus heading towards Manhattan only though.)

Having a HOV lane would benefit Verrazano but where would they place it? Considering that the left lane on the top level goes to the Belt.

good question, already the left merge from the belt parkway further up is badly designed as it dumps traffic onto the HOV lane. I would imagine the ramps leading up to and down from the bridge would be redesigned to accommodate the HOV lane and not to mess up the Belt Parkway exit.

[B3 Via Av U]

Having a HOV lane would benefit Verrazano but where would they place it? Considering that the left lane on the top level goes to the Belt.

Have a split of the lane at the end where one can choose Belt or 278.

[Brighton Express]

Now that is what I call progress. I hope it eases off some of the traffic on the Belt.

[Roadcruiser1]

If there are going to be cars it's not going to help the buses much. In fact this is opposite of my wish. I always wanted a BRT or light rail on the bridge, and not a lane for cars and buses to run at the same time.

[Mtatransit]

I think that if it run on the whole I-278 HOV will be crowded also