User Posted April 20, 2014 Share #1 Posted April 20, 2014 The MTA recently bought up a handful of properties adjacent to the South Jamaica bus depot, which it has been hoping to expand for years, but until the agency can come up with the needed capital funds, construction plans will sit as idle as the buses parked along Merrick Boulevard. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority paid $6.6 million earlier this month to the Hollywood, Fla.-based Rejtx LLC for four properties fronting Merrick Boulevard on the block just south of York College and Tuskegee Airmen Way as well as a fifth property at the block’s northwest corner. The acquisition of the additional 50,000 square feet brings the MTA’s footprint on the block to about 221,000 square feet and represents a long-awaited milestone in the push to redevelop the aging facility. “To alleviate a chronic shortage of bus parking and servicing facilities in Jamaica, the [New York City Transit] Department of Buses has long desired to expand the footprint of the Jamaica Bus Depot,” MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said. “Ultimately, we plan to construct a new bus depot on the site of the existing depot expanded to include the purchased properties.” Built in 1940, the 58,000-square-foot depot is one of the oldest — if not the oldest — in the MTA’s portfolio. It serves as the home to some 200 buses operating on nine lines throughout southeast Queens, but it is too small for the task and many of the vehicles sit idle along Merrick Boulevard, especially at night and on weekends. City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans), who served as head of the Queens bus drivers union before he was elected to office last year, said the MTA has been eyeing the properties for the last three years, but plans to renovate the depot go back much further. “I went to work in the Queens division in 1989, and they probably had it in the capital plan back then,” he said. In its most recent version of the capital plan, the agency last year scaled back the renovation to include only pre-construction work, as funding is not available to put shovels in the ground. In the meantime, South Jamaica residents will have to continue to put up with buses parking on the street. Community Board 12 District Manager Yvonne Reddick said the vehicles are a nuisance to residents of a nearby senior center and prevent street sweepers from cleaning the street. “As a matter of fact, just a couple of weeks ago I had to call the MTA about the buses so the mechanical broom could get by and clean,” she said. “I’m happy to hear they purchased property, but I’m disappointed they don’t have money to start construction.” Link: http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2014/16/jamaicabusdepot_tl_2014_04_18_q.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fresh Pond Posted April 20, 2014 Share #2 Posted April 20, 2014 About time something is done...and Jamaica is the oldest one still standing, it was the old Kingsbridge buildings (built in 1899), but they were torn down in the 90s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreeddekalbL Posted April 20, 2014 Share #3 Posted April 20, 2014 agreed, and didn't Jamaica used to have express service and it was given to QV cause there was no space there, and if they were to close the depot to expand, where would they go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 20, 2014 Share #4 Posted April 20, 2014 They do have the money... It's all about what's priority right now.. Trust and believe that Jamaica Depot isn't broken yet so what isn't broke doesn't get fixed... Sad to say but I spoke with a couple of my MTA guys who go to union meetings and the things that they (Transit) do are simply F'ked up Put it like this if Transit says they have a Billion Dollar Surplus add about 6 or 7 more to it... They enough money to fix up everything but at same time it's NOT economically feasible to do so Jamaica Depot will get fixed once the building starts to collapse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petabread Posted April 20, 2014 Share #5 Posted April 20, 2014 They do have the money... It's all about what's priority right now.. Trust and believe that Jamaica Depot isn't broken yet so what isn't broke doesn't get fixed... Sad to say but I spoke with a couple of my MTA guys who go to union meetings and the things that they (Transit) do are simply F'ked up Put it like this if Transit says they have a Billion Dollar Surplus add about 6 or 7 more to it... They enough money to fix up everything but at same time it's NOT economically feasible to do so Jamaica Depot will get fixed once the building starts to collapse You mean transit union people? Haha, they know as much about the mta as the the people do in Russia... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 20, 2014 Share #6 Posted April 20, 2014 You mean transit union people? Haha, they know as much about the mta as the the people do in Russia...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Lol good one... Question tho since they bought that land had anyone moved a brick yet ? I'll wait on this one Trust like I said they have the money it's all about what's priority right now Fixing those east river tubes VS rebuilding Jamaica is more priority... But yea the Union Guys know nothing tho right lol smh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtehpanda Posted April 20, 2014 Share #7 Posted April 20, 2014 Lol good one... Question tho since they bought that land had anyone moved a brick yet ? I'll wait on this one Trust like I said they have the money it's all about what's priority right now Fixing those east river tubes VS rebuilding Jamaica is more priority... But yea the Union Guys know nothing tho right lol smh Money in the capital fund =/= operating surplus. Yes, the MTA has recorded a surplus recently, but keep in mind that a lot of what doesn't go directly to providing trips goes to either providing pensions or paying interest on debt. Even if they did have a surplus, the man in the governor's house is a bit too eager to use that money to score political brownie points by, say, lowering the Verrazano toll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q43LTD Posted April 20, 2014 Share #8 Posted April 20, 2014 I would have just used the land by York College... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 20, 2014 Share #9 Posted April 20, 2014 I would have just used the land by York College... I've said that for ages but I'm sure something or someone within CUNY's system definitely blocked that move... They use that lot ad parking lot and I've never seen it full a day in my life smh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fresh Pond Posted April 21, 2014 Share #10 Posted April 21, 2014 agreed, and didn't Jamaica used to have express service and it was given to QV cause there was no space there, and if they were to close the depot to expand, where would they go? yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32sdabest Posted April 21, 2014 Share #11 Posted April 21, 2014 Jamaica Depot is overpacked. There's a lot of buses that get parked outside the depot. I wonder if the X63 and X64 would return to Jamaica Depot once it expands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 21, 2014 Share #12 Posted April 21, 2014 Jamaica Depot is overpacked. There's a lot of buses that get parked outside the depot. I wonder if the X63 and X64 would return to Jamaica Depot once it expandsI doubt it if anything QV and CS would probably lose a route each... I'm thinking the Q83 out of QV and maybe the Q30 from CS Someone posted earlier about the Q17 going to CS That's actually not a bad idea Maybe they could split that route... The express routes would stay in QV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q43LTD Posted April 21, 2014 Share #13 Posted April 21, 2014 I doubt it if anything QV and CS would probably lose a route each... I'm thinking the Q83 out of QV and maybe the Q30 from CS Someone posted earlier about the Q17 going to CS That's actually not a bad idea Maybe they could split that route... The express routes would stay in QV The Q30 currently comes from Jamaica. Maybe they'll take half the 27 or something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 21, 2014 Share #14 Posted April 21, 2014 The Q30 currently comes from Jamaica. Maybe they'll take half the 27 or something... That was a typo I meant to say the Q31... The 27 is one of QV's money makers I doubt they would split that route with JA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyer 230 Posted April 21, 2014 Share #15 Posted April 21, 2014 Things at Jamaica are getting bad. A lot of the buses are being vandalized due to being left parked on the street. An RTS bus I think it was a 1996 unit had its back window broken but the driver didn't realize it until he was about to start a run on the Q85. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 21, 2014 Share #16 Posted April 21, 2014 Things at Jamaica are getting bad. A lot of the buses are being vandalized due to being left parked on the street. An RTS bus I think it was a 1996 unit had its back window broken but the driver didn't realize it until he was about to start a run on the Q85. He should've been written up because it's mandatory to do a pre trip inspection which he obviously didn't do... I've caught many drivers out of Jamaica that don't do that... One guy had his engine gate up Said he didn't know and ran a whole trip like that smh.... Laziness at its finest A simple walk around the bus something that doesn't take but a min or 2 to make sure your equipment for the day is safe smh Idiots yo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyer 230 Posted April 21, 2014 Share #17 Posted April 21, 2014 I remember seeing a heavily tagged RTS out of Jamaica. It was repainted because of that. I look on Google Maps and I see that land across the street from the depot that can be turned into a MTA lot. When I pass by there the parking lot is most of the time almost empty. I'm sure it can be moved to the other side where the college is at. Wow Jamaica Depot is 74 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 21, 2014 Share #18 Posted April 21, 2014 I could see the Q30 or the Q31 being split. Both head into Northeast Queens and that's both QV and JA's territory. As for Jamaica depot being one of the oldest, a renovation project is long overdue. More space is needed and newer facilities would be great. If and when Jamaica gets rebuilt routes will be shuffled between all 3 TA garages (CS.JA.QV) With QV keeping the express runs... QV would lose a route or 2 as well as CS Just to average out the runs out of each depot... I'm just going throw out some logical routes I could see Jamaica getting the Q83 from QV ( since it touches the northern side of Cambria Heights) Jamaica would probably swap out the Q17 to CS for the Q31 from CS And if needed the Q27 could be split between Jamaica and QV Since Jamaica would have more space they could add on more runs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyer 230 Posted April 22, 2014 Share #19 Posted April 22, 2014 Or perhaps everything remains the same. The only route I see being moved is the Q31 since it follow the same route as the Q30 up to the LIE. Interlining of the two routes could be possible if they come from the same depot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 22, 2014 Share #20 Posted April 22, 2014 Or perhaps everything remains the same. The only route I see being moved is the Q31 since it follow the same route as the Q30 up to the LIE. Interlining of the two routes could be possible if they come from the same depot. Possible but interlining them would cut runs and that would mean less picks and less money for drivers Drivers such as myself wouldn't be too happy about any MORE cuts... However I do see the Q83 coming to Jamaica once they finally get up off there asses and rebuild the Depot... Queens Village would give up that route as it is in Jamaica territory anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz Posted April 23, 2014 Share #21 Posted April 23, 2014 I assume that Jamaica will be rebuilt shortly after MCH is fully completed, since 126th is going the way of the dinosaurs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK Depot Posted April 24, 2014 Share #22 Posted April 24, 2014 Watch some way some how 126 gets done before the outer boro Jamaica Depot does Manhattan is priority when it comes to getting repairs and things of that nature Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenEleven Posted April 24, 2014 Share #23 Posted April 24, 2014 Watch some way some how 126 gets done before the outer boro Jamaica Depot does Manhattan is priority when it comes to getting repairs and things of that nature 126th Street was always supposed to be done before Jamaica Depot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Run Trains Posted April 24, 2014 Share #24 Posted April 24, 2014 If and when Jamaica gets rebuilt routes will be shuffled between all 3 TA garages (CS.JA.QV) With QV keeping the express runs... QV would lose a route or 2 as well as CS Just to average out the runs out of each depot... I'm just going throw out some logical routes I could see Jamaica getting the Q83 from QV ( since it touches the northern side of Cambria Heights) Jamaica would probably swap out the Q17 to CS for the Q31 from CS And if needed the Q27 could be split between Jamaica and QV Since Jamaica would have more space they could add on more runs Thats cool! but why split the 27 with JA? Before the 27 was at QV it was at CS! wouldnt it make more since to split there since the terminal is actually closer.... Im Just SAying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q43LTD Posted April 24, 2014 Share #25 Posted April 24, 2014 The Q27 can come from all 3 depots geographically...NYCT that is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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