NYS senate passes bus-lane law that crack down violators

[w8Hou]

State Senate passes bus-lane legislation that will crack down on improper use

from yesterday's Daily News

A plan to monitor bus-only lanes with surveillance cameras - and mail tickets to violators - cleared a bump in the road Tuesday.

 

The state Senate's transportation committee approved legislation that would allow the city to use cameras as an enforcement tool on up to 50 miles of bus lanes, including the new ones along First and Second Aves.

 

Mayor Bloomberg and MTA Chairman Jay Walder have made this legislation a priority, saying fines will serve as a deterrent to drivers who now park or drive in bus-only lanes.

 

"These cameras will finally make it clear that bus lanes are for buses, taking our 2.5 million bus customers out of daily traffic," Walder said.

 

The Senate bill, authorizing $115 fines, must be approved by another committee before going to a full vote on the chamber floor. Matching legislation has been introduced in the state Assembly, where bus camera proponents suffered defeat two years ago.

 

The City Council may take up the issue as soon as today, with a "Home Rule" message of support being put on the floor for a vote.

 

"It's a make-it or break-it vote," Wiley Norvell, spokesman for Transportation Alternatives, said. "We don't have a single bus lane in New York City that doesn't wrestle with parked cars obstructing bus riders."

 

Link: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/06/09/2010-06-09_state_senate_waves_on_buslane_bill.html#ixzz0qN7Tn59y

[LRG]

Whatever can be done to make the buses move any faster I'm all for it. Some people can't drive for shit sad to say so I have no remorse for them if they get a ticket.

[Shortline Bus]

Whatever can be done to make the buses move any faster I'm all for it. Some people can't drive for shit sad to say so I have no remorse for them if they get a ticket.

 

I am driver/car owner and yet when i am in NYC i do not go into bus lanes. Other than something important i usually take Metro North especially weekdays to the Midtown area.

I always thought a solution for this problem (Doubt it will ever happen)is to make several streets in Manhattan such as 5th/Madison between 23rd & 59th. and also parts of outerboroughs such as Roosevelt between College Pt. and Union(Downtown Flushing)and Jamaica Ave between Supthin and Brewer Blvd all Bus Only streets/Pederitan walkways.

 

Biggest problem that NYC DOT, the and even NYPD will have in ever getting rid of this issue is this. So many tourists also drive especially in Manhattan and a few of those drivers don't speak English.

 

This camera crackdown will help imo but it won't solve the problem other than banning all car traffic.:confused:

[MattTrain]

I know there's a law where cars and other non-municipal vehicles aren't allowed in those lanes but people still drive on them anyways. I just hope this is enforced more effectively.

[MTR Admiralty]

I am driver/car owner and yet when i am in NYC i do not go into bus lanes. Other than something important i usually take Metro North especially weekdays to the Midtown area.

I always thought a solution for this problem (Doubt it will ever happen)is to make several streets in Manhattan such as 5th/Madison between 23rd & 59th. and also parts of outerboroughs such as Roosevelt between College Pt. and Union(Downtown Flushing)and Jamaica Ave between Supthin and Brewer Blvd all Bus Only streets/Pederitan walkways.

 

Biggest problem that NYC DOT, the and even NYPD will have in ever getting rid of this issue is this. So many tourists also drive especially in Manhattan and a few of those drivers don't speak English.

 

This camera crackdown will help imo but it won't solve the problem other than banning all car traffic.:confused:

The problem with making more pedestrian/bus only thoroughfares is that it takes up private car space. The problem with New York City is that physical boundaries dictate however much space there is, especially in Manhattan. Except by reclaiming land, there are X number of streets. X number of streets can accomodate Y amount of cars. Now if one MAJOR thoroughfare goes pedestrian or bus only that means traffic must be diverted to other streets.

Repercussions are simple: other streets will be congested.

This won't work unless there is an ACTIVE campaign to discourage driving altogether. (In uber-strict Singapore, there is congestion pricing for entering the CBD and also extra taxes for purchasing cars and insurance)

 

Now, I agree that legislating is simpler than enforcing it. Here are problems that I can think of:

-bus-only lane is really meant for public buses, yet there may be instances where private buses or coach liners would use it

-in areas where side-parking co-exists with the bus lane, the parking lane is wedged between the bus lane and the sidewalk (for obvious reasons). Now for a car to side-park, it must cross the bus lane. If someone is unparking and Driver B is trying to park, it creates a scenario in which it could affect buses. (Simple driving logic)

[Gotham Bus Co]

The really sad part is that the City isn't even allowed to govern itself without permission from the rest of the state. It makes no sense that politicians from Montauk, Elmira, and Plattsburg have absolute veto power over the City's LOCAL issues.

[MTR Admiralty]

The really sad part is that the City isn't even allowed to govern itself without permission from the rest of the state. It makes no sense that politicians from Montauk, Elmira, and Plattsburg have absolute veto power over the City's LOCAL issues.

Politics is always bizarre.