RR503

To answer your bolded question, yes. Clifton - WTC by express bus is 43 minutes, even with a local bus transfer. In a best case scenario this makes it there in 43 minutes even with express tracks, given that 43 minutes is how long a trip from Cortlandt to Bay Ridge would take.

 

This also has a very big downside, in that once you get to Clifton there isn't a lot you can do. Staten Island is not very dense at all; even if you were to through-run trains to the SIR, you wouldn't get much ridership, because the SIR is a sleepy commuter line with no major ridership generators except the St. George Ferry Terminal. Given that Staten Islanders riot the moment you so much mention building a townhouse, increasing density is out of the question.

 

The local buses that exist on the island today do not connect with SIR, and even rejigging them to do so wouldn't achieve much, because express buses that run already, today, run much faster than this proposed train connection. Heck, they run faster even at the stop most convenient to your extension. Even if they did, you would be asking a lot for a person to do local bus + SIR + subway, for... what, exactly? This extension terminates downtown, so you get a one-seat ride to a whole lotta nothing. Even if you could beat today's travel time of Clifton-Rockefeller Center of 1 hr, you would be asking someone to make SIR + subway + additional subway transfer over a one-seat ride, and this is before we talk about destinations that are not on SIR.

 

Because of geography and the express bus lanes, the only way to beat express buses from Staten Island and the Ferry from the North Shore would be to build a direct tunnel to the Battery, with maybe a stop at Governor's Island or Red Hook. However, because Staten Island is so anti-development, this kind of investment will never pencil out. This kind of pricey extension (even at normal world prices) would also be at the expense of much more deserving extensions in the rest of the city.

 

TL, DR; It's still slower, Staten Island will never be developed enough to justify it, it's a giant waste of money that could be spent elsewhere for better results.

Express bus is a lot slower than scheduled. There's a thing called traffic that ties them up, so they're late across the board. I'd estimate travel time to be closer to 1:15. Express bus lanes don't exist on the BQE, so that's moot.

Skipper,

What's the market there? Those who want downtown access can take the already...

The service only makes sense if a Staten island link gets built.

________________

Bobthepanda,

Yes, I agree they should be subways, but a. Cost and B. Surprisingly few people from those areas commute to Manhattan. It'd be better as a part of a LRT network that serves outer Queens/inner Nassau, funneling passengers to the LIRR in conjunction with freedom ticket.

And yes, I know I'm getting waaaay ahead of myself...

NYElevated,

Make the express station platform configure like that of Hoyt Schermerhorn; then you have better transfer flows.

I think LRT will happen. Subways are waaaaaaaaay to much $$$$ and the expenditure just can't be justified in lower density neighbourhoods. LRT is a middle option that provides more cap/better service than bus/SBS, but is nowhere near as pricy as subway construction.

I agree that RX is infinitely more realistic though.

How about LRT on linden boulevard from Saint Albans to a future Woodhaven LIRR station via Baisely avenue, Rockaway Boulevard, Woodhaven Boulevard?

Or a line down Utopia Parkway/Union Turnpike from the CIP to Jamaica. That would be nice.

Or a system of lines on Brooklyn/Queens following Utica Avenue from Myrtle to Marine park, with a cross branch on linden Boulevard/Church Ave from Conduit Boulevard to the (F)/(G) trains.

I'm 100% with you R42.

Queens commuters should get 1st priority here, and your idea seems to do that. The 60th street tube trains are all packed -- I know someone who frequents the Lexington Ave stop, and he describes it as being like a stampede, with people climbing over the sides of stairs etc. Any capacity here would be helpful.

Or paying consultants. 

Honestly, the is THE most inefficient organization I know of. 

They probably went to linden shops and then onto the Bay Ridge Branch that way. From there, you take it to Pond, where you can pick up the LMB to Jamaica. 

This has probably been asked before, but has the MTA considered splitting the at Broadway Junction and sending trains from Rockaway parkway to Broad street (or maybe up sixth using the other 5tph available on the local tracks)?

You could then run the northern segment as a shuttle.