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Loss of local bus service to Union Square


Via Garibaldi 8

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I was pissed off when the M6 was cut. Back in January 2009 I wanted to get from Union Square to the Apple Store in SoHo without taking the train and that was relatively easy to do. Now that they cut the route and have the M5 going to South Ferry, getting to Lower Manhattan from Union Square sucks, and not everyone can take the train because of the steps and the Lexington Avenue platforms don't have ADA.

 

The M5 should have been rerouted to operate along 14th Street and then along Broadway south of 14th in lieu of the M6.

 

 

Just reading this. On this one Garbaldi got a great point and I agree with him and LRG 100% on this issue. At least '1' local Manhattan Downtown-bound bus (either the M5 or the M1 or M3) should still run along Park Ave South/Broadway between 23rd and 8th St serving Union Sq.

 

One option the (MTA) could have done was this IMO. You could have maybe run the (M5) eastbound say along 12th Street between 5th and Bway to avoid the traffic on 14th Street. That way it's only a short 2-block walk to get to Union Sq.

That way ADA and Eldery riders going 'downtown' towards City Hall, Fulton and South Ferry still had a direct bus.

 

Other option was leaving the (M1) alone since it was going on a shorter trip to 8th Street(St Marks)and 4th Avenue at all times it's runs the full route.

 

A bad job by both the NYC DOT/Mayor's office and the (MTA).:tdown:

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Just reading this. On this one Garbaldi got a great point and I agree with him and LRG 100% on this issue. At least '1' local Manhattan Downtown-bound bus (either the M5 or the M1 or M3) should still run along Park Ave South/Broadway between 23rd and 8th St serving Union Sq.

 

One option the (MTA) could have done was this IMO. You could have maybe run the (M5) eastbound say along 12th Street between 5th and Bway to avoid the traffic on 14th Street. That way it's only a short 2-block walk to get to Union Sq.

That way ADA and Eldery riders going 'downtown' towards City Hall, Fulton and South Ferry still had a direct bus.

 

Other option was leaving the (M1) alone since it was going on a shorter trip to 8th Street(St Marks)and 4th Avenue at all times it's runs the full route.

 

A bad job by both the NYC DOT/Mayor's office and the (MTA).:tdown:

 

Leaving the M1 alone is a better idea than screwing up M5 service for particularly no reason. You will still hit hard traffic turning onto Broadway since there is no traffic signal at 12th & Broadway.

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I'm gonna keep saying this until I'm blue in the face, the (M6) should have never been cut. Even in '09 when they took the buses off Broadway to 7 Av, the (MTA) considered getting rid of the M6. Look at the problems the (M5) faces. Something tells me it should have been split with Quill.

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I'm gonna keep saying this until I'm blue in the face, the (M6) should have never been cut. Even in '09 when they took the buses off Broadway to 7 Av, the (MTA) considered getting rid of the M6. Look at the problems the (M5) faces. Something tells me it should have been split with Quill.

 

I've been preaching this since the cuts were proposed. With this whole pedestrian plaza plague, it pretty much cut the core ridership of the M6 going Downtown. Sending it through 7th Avenue was the worst idea EVER. It was better off being sent via 5th especially since South Ferry M1s at the time were only rush hour trips.

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I've been preaching this since the cuts were proposed. With this whole pedestrian plaza plague, it pretty much cut the core ridership of the M6 going Downtown. Sending it through 7th Avenue was the worst idea EVER. It was better off being sent via 5th especially since South Ferry M1s at the time were only rush hour trips.

 

I will have to agree on this one I grilled em on it at a meeting. 5th has less subway duplication sending M6 to 7th killed the rte.

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I will have to agree on this one I grilled em on it at a meeting. 5th has less subway duplication sending M6 to 7th killed the rte.

 

You're wrong, the M1, 2, 3 and 5 duplicated the (N) & (R) for the most part from 59th to 8th Street but with a different purpose

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:cool:

 

there is something called the subway very few ppl will complain however I do understand that the changes were wrong o well must be a traffic issue or they just could care less. Most ppl I spoke with in lower manhattan could care less about bus service in manhattan other than crosstowns. I have no opinion on this one so ur on ur own man

 

With the exception of myself, you are one of FEW people to realize that! Thank you!

 

The M6 was a "no-brainer" to cut because you had the BROADWAY LINE as an alternate (N, Q and R trains)

 

To "Streamline" the M1 with the M2 and M3 was a "no-brainer" b ecause it saves money and coming from ONE depot (Manhattanville)...it made sense.

 

The M7 I could careless because of 59th St with the M6 was a "What The F#$%^k" route to begin with.

 

 

Besides, the M14 is doing just fine going crosstown.

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I don't know if anyone has realized this, but all local bus service that used to serve Union Square going Southbound has been lost. :mad: The M1 used to go there and then it was re-routed to go via 5th Avenue.

 

 

What, nobody is able to walk anymore? Are we really supposed to believe that one avenue-length block makes it completely inaccessible?

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Why? One block is too far to walk? What about northbound, which is still on 6th Avenue? Why aren't you complaining about that?

 

Two blocks to be exact, and what's your point?

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What, nobody is able to walk anymore? Are we really supposed to believe that one avenue-length block makes it completely inaccessible?

 

That isn't the point. The point is that there used to be 3 buses that went directly there and now there is not one bus directly serving Union Square, with the exception of the M14 and there should be. Is it a big deal? Maybe it isn't to you, but the folks that used that stop no longer have service there, that I do know. It is an example of the (MTA) destroying the bus system with ill advised moves. The subway system is not exactly in tip top shape and we need to be keeping bus lines where possible so that we can lessen the burden that currently exists on our subway system. All it takes is a nasty storm to paralyze our subway system and the very buses that have been axed, people will wish they had them. If anything, subway service is getting worse not better. Even the (MTA) admits this, acknowledging that subways are running with more and more delays. Should we just continue to axe bus service even when our subway system is on the rocks? I don't think so. Re-route buses where possible to make them efficient and serve more areas. If you provide bus service that is reliable and quick, more people will use it. That is the main problem. We know that subway service is declining, but the question how bad is bus service declining in terms of being on time??

 

 

With the exception of myself, you are one of FEW people to realize that! Thank you!

 

The M6 was a "no-brainer" to cut because you had the BROADWAY LINE as an alternate (N, Q and R trains)

 

To "Streamline" the M1 with the M2 and M3 was a "no-brainer" b ecause it saves money and coming from ONE depot (Manhattanville)...it made sense.

 

The M7 I could careless because of 59th St with the M6 was a "What The F#$%^k" route to begin with.

 

 

Besides, the M14 is doing just fine going crosstown.

 

 

If you really understood the function of the M6, then it wouldn't be such a "no-brainer". The loss of the M6 has perhaps saved money at the cost of the passengers that used to use it and at the same time has made its alternates much less reliable such as the M5. The question is the following: Is the (MTA) really achieving anything overall aside from saving money? Sure on the surface they are saving money now, but what do these cuts mean for the system in the future as well as for the overall health of the system going forward? As far as I'm concerned these cuts are taking us in the wrong direction.

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That isn't the point. The point is that there used to be 3 buses that went directly there and now there is not one bus directly serving Union Square, with the exception of the M14 and there should be. Is it a big deal? Maybe it isn't to you, but the folks that used that stop no longer have service there, that I do know. It is an example of the (MTA) destroying the bus system with ill advised moves. The subway system is not exactly in tip top shape and we need to be keeping bus lines where possible so that we can lessen the burden that currently exists on our subway system. All it takes is a nasty storm to paralyze our subway system and the very buses that have been axed, people will wish they had them. If anything, subway service is getting worse not better. Even the (MTA) admits this, acknowledging that subways are running with more and more delays. Should we just continue to axe bus service even when our subway system is on the rocks? I don't think so. Re-route buses where possible to make them efficient and serve more areas. If you provide bus service that is reliable and quick, more people will use it. That is the main problem. We know that subway service is declining, but the question how bad is bus service declining in terms of being on time??

 

Being fair you probably were not yet born during the 'wild wild west' days of the subways during the 1970's and early '80's. Most trains of that era (except for the then new R46's running on the (E)(F) and (N) lines w/ No A/C, violent crime and graffti being the norms. Not to mention trains that smelled like pee and reguarly broke down. I remember some of it as a boy in the early '80's.:eek:

 

With that said If you read my earlier comments I agree the (MTA) did a bad job in taking all bus service off Park Ave/Broadway between 23rd and 8th Street.

 

At least one route either the (M1) or say run the southbound (M5) on 12th Street between 5th and Broadway makes more sense. If on 12th, it only a 2-block walk back to Union Sq. Not to mention avoid the gridlock of 14th Street.

You can ban parking on 12th, (except for drop offs)between 5th and Bway as well to speed service.

 

Either option would have worked IMO.

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If you really understood the function of the M6, then it wouldn't be such a "no-brainer". The loss of the M6 has perhaps saved money at the cost of the passengers that used to use it and at the same time has made its alternates much less reliable such as the M5. The question is the following: Is the (MTA) really achieving anything overall aside from saving money? Sure on the surface they are saving money now, but what do these cuts mean for the system in the future as well as for the overall health of the system going forward? As far as I'm concerned these cuts are taking us in the wrong direction.

Amen to that!

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I've been preaching this since the cuts were proposed. With this whole pedestrian plaza plague, it pretty much cut the core ridership of the M6 going Downtown. Sending it through 7th Avenue was the worst idea EVER. It was better off being sent via 5th especially since South Ferry M1s at the time were only rush hour trips.

The (M1) to South Ferry wasn't rush hour, they were all day

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In addition when weekend constuction happens with the subway, the last thing anyone wants to do is backtrack to reach their destination. If the (N)/(Q)/® are running express southbound, the M6 would have been an alternative over taking either one of those trains or taking the (6). Not everyone can take the subway because not every station has ADA, and it's not always guaranteed that the elevator may be working. Perfect example being a month after the connection between Jay and Lawrence Street opened...the elevator for the (R) platform was already out of service!

 

I'm not saying that I am incapable of walking to Fifth Avenue, but the bus could have been re-routed to take over some of the slack. The fact that only one crosstown local is serving Union Square is type appalling.

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Now I understand that the plazas had something to do with some of the changes, but I find it unacceptable to not have one local bus going by Union Square.

 

 

Thing 1:

Last I checked, the M1, M2, and M3 northbound still serve Union Square directly. Or do they not count for some reason?

 

Thing 2:

The former M6 served Union Square southbound only. Northbound was on Sixth Avenue, which by your standard might as well be 10 light-years away.

 

Thing 3:

Maybe EVERY bus route throughout the city should be rerouted or extended to serve Union Square directly, with absolutely no regard to cost, just to make one person happy. Would that be a good use of public dollars?

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Thing 1:

Last I checked, the M1, M2, and M3 northbound still serve Union Square directly. Or do they not count for some reason?

 

Thing 2:

The former M6 served Union Square southbound only. Northbound was on Sixth Avenue, which by your standard might as well be 10 light-years away.

 

Thing 3:

Maybe EVERY bus route throughout the city should be rerouted or extended to serve Union Square directly, with absolutely no regard to cost, just to make one person happy. Would that be a good use of public dollars?

 

Okay, so I'm the only one who thinks that the M6 cut was wrong now? Oh please. And let's not talk about good use of public dollars. Do you think hiring additional staff at 100k+ in areas that are supposed to be "consolidated" and cut back is a good use of public dollars while passengers are being stranded by bus and subway cuts?? The service cuts to Union Square go much further than just Union Square, which is what you either don't recognize or don't want to recognize and instead try to harp on me pointing out the uprooting of all southbound service by Union Square as a "waste of dollars" as if I was the only one affected by the loss of service there. Do you even know how many people were effected by the whole re-routing and elimination of service in that area??

 

Perhaps if we focused more on the overhead waste at the (MTA) for once a lot more lines that were axed would be around and would be flourishing.

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Ok you ppl cant agree on anything related to bus service??? Some say M6 worked others said it was wasteful seriously what happened to rtes by ridership I dont know what side to take here. Caith says M6 was a fail then Q43 and 8 are saying nay the bickering is getting confusing I will stick this one out and focus on NJ se ya

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Ok you ppl cant agree on anything related to bus service??? Some say M6 worked others said it was wasteful seriously what happened to rtes by ridership I dont know what side to take here. Caith says M6 was a fail then Q43 and 8 are saying nay the bickering is getting confusing I will stick this one out and focus on NJ se ya

 

That's a good idea.

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Ok you ppl cant agree on anything related to bus service??? Some say M6 worked others said it was wasteful seriously what happened to rtes by ridership I dont know what side to take here. Caith says M6 was a fail then Q43 and 8 are saying nay the bickering is getting confusing I will stick this one out and focus on NJ se ya

 

#1. Wrong again, I never said that it was a fail.

#2. Thats the best thing you have EVER posted.

 

While the M6 did duplicate service, it was a good alternative in case the Broadway Lines would screw up, and we know how often that happens.

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Ok you ppl cant agree on anything related to bus service??? Some say M6 worked others said it was wasteful seriously what happened to rtes by ridership I dont know what side to take here. Caith says M6 was a fail then Q43 and 8 are saying nay the bickering is getting confusing I will stick this one out and focus on NJ se ya

This is the smartest post you have made.

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