Q17via188th

A few proposals: 1. Q34/25/ proposed 14: Reroute the 34 so it goes to LaGuardia via Northern/Astoria/Ditmars Blvd, nonstop between Flushing and the airport. Also, have the route run 7 days a week as a LTD-only service, like the Q44. The MTA has been putting a lot of emphasis on LGA lately, and this will provide a relatively quick link b/w Jamaica and LGA. It will make all the current Q25 LTD stops b/w Flushing and Jamaica, while the Q25 LTD itself will be removed. To account for the decrease in 25 service north of Flushing, add CP-Flushing short turns during rush hours. The new Q34 will help out Parsons/Kissena on weekends especially, where the Q25 has gained a significant amount of ridership. The new Q14 (or some other number if it hurts the emotions of Whitestone residents) will replace the Q20b, part of the Q34, and the old Q74, continuing as a weekday-only route. It shall run from Kew Gardens to College Point via Vleigh Pl and Main St south of Roosevelt. North of Roosevelt, it will follow the current Q34 route until 28 Av and Union St, and then follow the current Q20b route. Headways will be reduced, with short turns at Willets Point Blvd to replicate current Q34 frequencies. The added service should slightly remedy the crowded Q44 and Q46. 2. Q26 extension: First of all, if anything, I feel that the Q26 should share its first stop with the Q27 to increase awareness that this route actually exists. It shall go down Kissena, and then Sanford to Parsons. I would extend the Q26 to Queens Village to support the overcrowded Q27 and cover some more uncharted territory. It would continue down Francis Lewis, 73rd Ave to serve Oakland Gdns apartments, Bell Blvd, Union Tpke, and then Springfield down to Jamaica Ave. This is to provide Oakland Gdns residents easier access to Flushing, make the Q26 more relevant, and give a slightly faster alternative to the 27. Midday service should be added again, and maybe even weekend service. 3. Q64 extension: I know this has been mentioned several times, but the 64 could gain a lot more riders extended to 64 Ave/188 St via 73 Ave and 188 st. Not only will it cover up some transportation gaps and help out the Q46, but it will give FM residents and shoppers a one-seat ride to the EFMR station. Furthermore, the FM shopping mall is expanding with a new commercial building under construction, so this extension would add greater business potential as well. 4. Q31 earlier service: This is more out of personal bias, but I think Jamaica-bound buses should begin 20 or 40 minutes earlier. I usually take the 6:30 Q30 bus in FM to get to school, and these buses are always crowded, often to the point where new passengers along Utopia cannot board. Earlier Q31 service should alleviate this overcrowding. Bayside-bound Q31s already begin at 5:40 AM, while Jamaica-bound 31s, where early morning demand is greater, begin at 6:20 AM. These are my 2 cents. I know the new Q34 could be detrimental to the Q48 and the Q64 extension could bring a toll on express bus ridership, so I know these proposals are flawed. I'm open for criticism, and I'll gladly bump this thread.