S55 extension to Arthur Kill

[LRG]

I have some old Staten Island bus maps that show the S55 and S56 operating between Staten Island Mall and Tottenville High School on Luten Avenue and Eylandt Street. However, as of the September 2007 bus map, the S55 was extended to the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility. Any reason for its extension?

[GojiMet86]

To help the prisoners from the facility escape?

[NX Express]

I heard it was that the neighborhood asked for it.

[LRG]

To help the prisoners from the facility escape?

 

LOL!

But couldn't they just use the S74 for that?

[NX Express]

LOL!

But couldn't they just use the S74 for that?

 

The S55 goes to a high school, where there are children...

[checkmatechamp13]

LOL!

But couldn't they just use the S74 for that?

 

The S74 would have to bypass the whole stretch of Arthur Kill Road in order to go on Bloomingdale Road (not that there is anything there anyway, but they would've protested if they removed service from an area to give it to another area). Also, at Woodrow Road/Bloomingdale Road, the S74 would either have to serve the section to the north or south, but not both (unless it used Arthur Kill Road directly to Bloomingdale Road, but that would bypass Woodrow Road).

That must've increased the cost per rider by a lot. The S55/S56 used to run 40 minute headways per piece and interline at Luten Avenue-Eylandt Street (a southbound S55 would become a northbound S56 and vice versa). After the extension, they both ran 30 minute headways with the S55 running a longer route, and they lost the ability to interline runs.

I'm not saying it was a bad idea, since Bloomingdale Road is far from a lot of local bus routes.

[LRG]

The S74 would have to bypass the whole stretch of Arthur Kill Road in order to go on Bloomingdale Road (not that there is anything there anyway, but they would've protested if they removed service from an area to give it to another area).

 

That I know, I was just replying to the joke from NX.

 

But seriously though, what caused the S55 to be extended to Arthur Kill (any bus experts out there)?

[w8Hou]

this is the reason why....

 

The MTA board approved an extension of the local S55 bus route today.

 

The new service will run on weekdays from Luten Avenue in the Huguenot section of Staten Island to Arthur Kill and Bloomingdale roads, along Hylan Boulevard, Seguine Avenue, Amboy Road, and Bloomingdale.

 

The service will also provide a link to the Pleasant Plains train station. The longer route will begin operation in time for the start of school in September.

 

The route extension will provide transit service for South Shore residents who used to have to rely on their cars to get around. The new route change is one of the short-term initiatives of the Mayor's Transportation Task Force.

 

Source: http://blog.silive.com/advanceupdate/2007/05/mta_board_approves_s55_extensi.html

 

 

Its another way to get to school or to Manhattan or shop which the area has grown...

[LRG]

Thanks for the link w8Hou!