Queens Bus Redesign Discussion Thread

[azspeedbullet]

this is why they made bus routes longer and merged bus routes together

[7-express]

20 hours ago, jaf0519 said:

I don’t live in this part of Northeastern Queens, but i could probably guess what the MTA was thinking with the QT48, QT49, and QT51 being rush hours only.

• QT48 (Flushing-Fort Totten via Willets Point Blvd) riders already have either infrequent or limited service today with the Q34 being weekdays only and the Q16 being every 30 to 60 minutes during middays on weekdays and weekends respectively on the Willets Point Blvd branch, along with the Q16 having the 4th lowest ridership of all NYCT Buses in Queens. The MTA probably figures that most riders would take either the QT81, QT84, or QT85 to Flushing, or either the QT64 or QT65 to the QT17.
• QT49 (Flushing-Beechurst via Utopia Pkwy) riders, while they would lose out of any service on Crocheron outside of the rush, Crocheron Ave is walking distance to Northern Blvd and the QT17, as well as Utopia Pkwy being currently covered by one of the Q16’s lower ridership branches. The only people who really lose out are those living in Beechurst near the Q15/Q15A terminal now, as they would have to take the QT65 and transfer or walk to the QT16 at Clintonville St.
• QT51 (Flushing-Bay Terrace via Crocheron Ave) riders would still be within walking distance to Northern Blvd and the QT85 on Corporal Kennedy St. 35 Ave actually gains service between Francis Lewis Blvd and Corporal Kennedy now.

Aside from these routes, I can actually see mysel using the QT65 more than i currently use the Q65. While i wont be able to catch the  in Flushing under the redesign, I avoid Flushing now anyway, and i would now be able to take the QT65 straight to the Broadway LIRR as opposed to walking up from 45 Ave. The only thing i would add would be a QT57 from Electchester (164 St/Jewel Ave) that would be a rush hours only purple zone express up 164 St and would follow the QT30 and QT31 to Flushing. Give the QT57 15-20 minute frequency during the rush, and cut the QT65 to every 20 minutes during the rush except for every 10 minutes between Jamaica (165 St Terminal) and Queens General Hospital), since patronage would not remain the same as Flushing bound riders would take a different route.

Overall, the plan has mostly good ideas, aside from some of the frequencies being a bit lacking, but when there are bad ideas, they are quite terrible.

The QT48 should at least run all day on weekdays mimicing the existing service span of the Q34/Q16.  The headways on the nearest alternative, the QT84, are absolutely atrocious and do nothing to encourage ridership.  It also needs a stop or two along Union Street in order to help reduce some load off the QT16, since that existing area is serviced by three lines today.

The QT49 as a peak-only route is a big loss to the Beechhurst area.  That should at least run all day on a weekday at the minimum, since the Q15/15A no longer exist.  Another idea would be to extend alternating QT16's up 154th Street to service the Beechurst area, because the current proposed terminal on Cross Island is not terribly useful.  But it seems like the planners really don't like forked terminals, even though they would do a lot to expand service coverage and options to areas that are otherwise underserved with all of this consolidation.

The plan as is is a big off peak cut to NE Queens.  Those who don't conform with the standard 9-5 worklife (which is increasingly becoming less common) just get shafted in the end with longer wait times and more transfers.

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by 7-express

[Jdog14]

3 hours ago, Cain said:

I don't know if this is true or not but I've heard rumors that DeBlasio's vision zero also tweaked the signal timings so that cars would not have a "green wave" on many city streets. This in turn prevented cars from having headroom to "speed up". Anecdotally, I have noticed streets that used to have green lights turn to stop and go reds in recent years.

Back on topic:
Regarding the blue lines in the Queens Bus Redesign, are they meant to be future SBS type bus lines with all the SBS treatments? They shared the same color as other SBS lines but did not have the "SBS" moniker attached to it.

 

OMNY basically made/making SBS a name lol

[QM1to6Ave]

4 hours ago, Uncle Floyd Fan said:

I agree that NE Queens has been relatively quiet about the changes. I used to take the Clearview (QM2A / QM20) back in the day. It always had good ridership. It seems the MTA (and the writer of the article that is at the top of this thread) are not aware of the disappointments some have with the proposed service changes. IMO, the frequency-cutting is the worst of it. I'm ok with walking (to a point....10-15 max for a daily trip), but I don't want to wait 20+ min for a bus where I currently wait 10 (or having to wait 15 when I currently wait 7).

I intend to go to the Outreach Meeting in Kew Gardens (Boro Hall on Queens Blvd) on Jan. 28th Tues at 6pm. I'm thinking of printing out a few papers and handing them to any MTA officials or media members I may encounter. I view this as handing a business card to a prospective client/manager during an elevator pitch. Whether it works is another story, but something must be said to let the MTA and the media know that these service cuts (...and these are service cuts) are unacceptable.

The main points (as I see them in my area):

The current service proposals for the QMT165 (QM5) and QMT167 (QM6) are unacceptable.

- FACT: The current QM5 and QM6 bus routes get many weekday riders in the AM and PM rush hours. Many of the AM riders board well east of 188th St.

- FACT: The current QM5 weekday bus at 5:10 am usually has at least 20 riders onboard before it gets to 188th Street. The proposed service on the QMT165 will not have the early bus service many riders need to get to work to make other connections to other forms of transit.

- FACT: The current QM5 Saturday bus at 6:30 am usually has at least 20 riders onboard before it gets to 188th Street.

- FACT: The current QM6 Saturday bus at 6:00 pm generally picks up about 15-20 passengers between North Shore Towers / LIJ North Shore Hospital. This bus service, and other bus trips operated on the QM6, are vital to employees/residents of North Shore Towers, relatives visiting patients at LIJ, employees at LIJ, and also serves to transport people to/from St. Johns University during weekend events.

A necessary requirement for ALL Union Tpke bus services:

1) Keep the same hours of service and relative headways intact for the QMT165 (QM5) and QMT167 (QM6) as many people rely on these services. These buses are not mere means of convenience; they are essential to those who rely on them (senior citizens, people with mobility issues, etc).

2) Keep the same headways for the QT32 similar to the current Q46. More stops should be added to the QT32 at night and on weekends to allow for seamless bus transfers intersecting bus lines when buses tend to run less frequently.

This is a small part of things I'm sure we all want, I (and presumably many of us) need to start somewhere.

Good luck to us all with this redesign.

To add to this, to further increase ridership on these lines off peak before congestion pricing hits, offer a similar program to the Atlantic Ticket and actually advertise the service!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

4 hours ago, Uncle Floyd Fan said:

I agree that NE Queens has been relatively quiet about the changes. I used to take the Clearview (QM2A / QM20) back in the day. It always had good ridership. It seems the MTA (and the writer of the article that is at the top of this thread) are not aware of the disappointments some have with the proposed service changes. IMO, the frequency-cutting is the worst of it. I'm ok with walking (to a point....10-15 max for a daily trip), but I don't want to wait 20+ min for a bus where I currently wait 10 (or having to wait 15 when I currently wait 7).

I intend to go to the Outreach Meeting in Kew Gardens (Boro Hall on Queens Blvd) on Jan. 28th Tues at 6pm. I'm thinking of printing out a few papers and handing them to any MTA officials or media members I may encounter. I view this as handing a business card to a prospective client/manager during an elevator pitch. Whether it works is another story, but something must be said to let the MTA and the media know that these service cuts (...and these are service cuts) are unacceptable.

The main points (as I see them in my area):

The current service proposals for the QMT165 (QM5) and QMT167 (QM6) are unacceptable.

- FACT: The current QM5 and QM6 bus routes get many weekday riders in the AM and PM rush hours. Many of the AM riders board well east of 188th St.

- FACT: The current QM5 weekday bus at 5:10 am usually has at least 20 riders onboard before it gets to 188th Street. The proposed service on the QMT165 will not have the early bus service many riders need to get to work to make other connections to other forms of transit.

- FACT: The current QM5 Saturday bus at 6:30 am usually has at least 20 riders onboard before it gets to 188th Street.

- FACT: The current QM6 Saturday bus at 6:00 pm generally picks up about 15-20 passengers between North Shore Towers / LIJ North Shore Hospital. This bus service, and other bus trips operated on the QM6, are vital to employees/residents of North Shore Towers, relatives visiting patients at LIJ, employees at LIJ, and also serves to transport people to/from St. Johns University during weekend events.

A necessary requirement for ALL Union Tpke bus services:

1) Keep the same hours of service and relative headways intact for the QMT165 (QM5) and QMT167 (QM6) as many people rely on these services. These buses are not mere means of convenience; they are essential to those who rely on them (senior citizens, people with mobility issues, etc).

2) Keep the same headways for the QT32 similar to the current Q46. More stops should be added to the QT32 at night and on weekends to allow for seamless bus transfers intersecting bus lines when buses tend to run less frequently.

This is a small part of things I'm sure we all want, I (and presumably many of us) need to start somewhere.

Good luck to us all with this redesign.

Your comments about Northeast Queens are inaccurate. I have a lot of Northeast Queens express bus riders in my advocacy group that have been spreading the word, including elected officials representing Northeast Queens making it clear that they are vehemently opposed to the changes. Clearly you don’t read any of the local newspapers. My group has been covered several times now, which is how the elected officials started getting contacted by constituents.

All 15 Queens councilmembers blast planned bus line overhaul

January 23, 2020

EAGLE FILE PHOTO BY JONATHAN SPERLING.

 By David Brand

UPDATE [5:58 p.m., 1/23/2020] — This story has been updated to include a response from the MTA.

All 15 city councilmembers from Queens say they oppose the MTA’s draft plan to overhaul the borough’s bus network, unless significant changes are made to ensure better, more extensive service, particularly in public “transportation deserts.” 

The entire Queens delegation issued a joint press release condemning the plan Thursday, citing criticism and concerns from constituents across the borough. Queens residents have specifically complained about a lack of express bus service and proposed route cuts in neighborhoods that do not have subway service, as well as alterations that would sever bus service in specific locations.

“We are deeply concerned about losing bus service on Little Neck Parkway and Braddock Avenue as well as throughout Glen Oaks,” said Northeast Queens Councilmember Barry Grodenchik, whose district does not include a subway line. “We need the bus redesign to provide better, faster, more expansive bus service.”

 Councilmember Robert Holden called for an express service line in Maspeth, one of the neighborhoods he represents. 

“In District 30, we only have access to two stops on one subway line, so my constituents rely heavily on the bus network,” said Holden, whose district includes the end of the M train line. “Maspeth is in desperate need of an express bus route, but this plan actually reduces the current express routes.

 The Queens delegation called on the MTA to revise the plan and commit more money to making an equitable transit system in a borough home to more than 2.3 million residents.

“The goal of public transit should be to take New Yorkers from point A to point B expeditiously,” said Councilmember Adrienne Adams, who represents a swath of Southeast Queens. “The plan in its current form would make this goal unattainable for many residents of Queens especially commuters with limited public transit options.”

The MTA unveiled the draft plan in late December, with then-MTA NYC Transit President Andy Byford describing the transformative proposals as “one of the pillars” of the agency’s Fast Forward plan.

“We are very excited about this draft plan for Queens buses because it is a true reimagination of the routes that incorporates the earned knowledge of customers, our ground personnel and operations staff to create a new foundation of bus service in Queens,” Byford said in a statement. Byford resigned his position Thursday.

Several councilmembers highlighted plan components that would affect specific bus lines in their districts. 

Wait times for the Q18 would increase from eight minutes to 20 minutes, Astoria Councilmember Costa Constantinides pointed out.

Meanwhile, the plan would eliminate the Q53, noted Ozone Park Councilmember Eric Ulrich; it would also phase out express lines meant to reduce crowding on the No. 7 train, said Flushing Councilmember Peter Koo.

MTA spokesperson Amanda Kwon said the redesign plan will change based on community feedback and “will improve service by rebuilding the entire system from a blank canvas using public feedback and data-driven study about today’s ridership needs.”

“And while there are always fiscal constraints in an organization with finite funds, budget is not a factor at this stage as we solicit feedback on a preliminary proposal,” Kwon added.

The agency hosted community forums on the bus plan in Ridgewood on Tuesday and Flushing on Wednesday. Six additional sessions will take place at 6 p.m. on the following dates:

Jamaica 

Jan. 23

Queens Educational Opportunity Center

15829 Archer Ave.

Kew Gardens 

Jan. 28

Queens Borough Hall

120-55 Queens Blvd

Ozone Park

Jan. 29

JHS 202 Robert H. Goddard

138-80 Lafayette St.

Corona

Jan. 30

Langston Hughes Library and Cultural Center

100-01 Northern Blvd

Long Island City

Feb. 4

Jacob Riis Settlement

1025 41 Ave

Rockaways

Feb. 5

RISE/Rockaway Waterfront Alliance

58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd.

The MTA also agreed to host two additional forums for Eastern Queens. The sessions will take place at:

Bayside

Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.

Korean Community Services

203-05 32nd Ave.

Bellerose

Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.

Cross Island YMCA, 238-10 Hillside Ave.

The MTA told the Eagle there would be four more forums in Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens and Oakland Gardens.
 

Source: https://queenseagle.com/all/queens-councilmembers-blast-bus-plan

 

Traffic & Transit

Petition Lambasts MTA's Proposed Express Bus Cuts In NE Queens 

Northeast Queens commuters are pleading with the MTA to backpedal its proposed cuts to express bus service under its draft of a new bus map. 

By Maya Kaufman, Patch Staff 

Jan 22, 2020 5:32 pm ET

 

(Google Maps) 

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Northeast Queens commuters are pleading with the MTA to backpedal its proposed cuts to express bus service under its draft of a new bus map for the borough.

More than a thousand people have signed on to a petitionstarted by City Council Member Paul Vallone to protest the MTA's proposal to reduce rush-hour service between Manhattan and northeast Queens and eliminate express bus service on weekends.

Supporters include City Council Member Barry Grodenchik, U.S. Reps. Grace Meng and Tom Suozzi, State Sen. John Liu and Assembly Members Ed Braunstein and Nily Rozic.

"The first major overhaul of our bus network in a century should improve — not slash — service to our already transit-starved neighborhood," the petition reads.

Under the MTA's proposal, the QM2, QM20 and QM32 express buses would be replaced by the QMT163, a bus route running from Beechhurst to Midtown Manhattan, and the QMT103, which would travel between Bay Terrace and the southernmost tip of Manhattan.

It's all part of a draft released Dec. 31 for the MTA's plan to completely redraw Queens' network of 107 bus lines that serve more than 714,000 weekday riders. 

The transit authority's final proposal will come out by summer 2020, but officials say there is no planned date when it will go into effect.

The draft plan also calls for eliminating weekend express bus service between northeast Queens and Manhattan, a proposal Vallone's petition compares to "denying mobility."

"Regardless of potential low ridership levels at non-rush hour times, residents of Northeast Queens require reliable express buses for their every day needs," the petition reads. "Cutting service is denying mobility to a part of the city that is in great need of better options."

In a Friday briefing with reporters, MTA officials attributed the weekend express bus service cuts to years of ridership data showing the service got little use.

"We're carrying very few riders per trip, especially considering how expensive it is for us to operate express buses," Mark Holmes, chief officer of operations planning for MTA Bus, told Patch. "Having said that, that does not mean are not in a position to go back and review some of the decisions made when we developed our draft plan."

Bayside residents will get a chance to hear more about the MTA's draft and provide feedback at a public workshop scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at Korean Community Services. 

Riders may also share feedback using this online form.

Source: https://patch.com/new-york/bayside/petition-lambasts-mtas-proposed-express-bus-cuts-ne-queens

 

Traffic & Transit

Northeast Queens Residents Decry MTA's Proposed Express Bus Cuts 

The MTA is redoing the Queens bus map, and its current draft calls for cuts to express bus service from northeast Queens to Manhattan. 

By Maya Kaufman, Patch Staff 

Jan 16, 2020 11:39 am ET

 

The MTA is redoing the Queens bus map, and its current draft calls for cuts to express bus service from northeast Queens to Manhattan. (Courtesy of Tim Lee) 

GLEN OAKS, QUEENS — The MTA is redoing the Queens bus map, and its current draft calls for cuts to express bus service ferrying northeast Queens residents to Manhattan.

Under the proposed redesign, which the MTA released Dec. 31, express buses from Bay Terrace and Glen Oaks to Manhattan wouldn't run on weekends and other routes would be consolidated.

The QM2, QM20 and QM32 bus lines would become the QMT163, a bus route running from Beechhurst to Midtown Manhattan.

The QM6, which runs from the North Shore Towers in Glen Oaks to Midtown Manhattan, would become the QMT167 and run only every 20-30 minutes during morning and evening rush hour on weekdays.

Such changes have become a rallying cry for the 2,000-member Express Bus Advocacy Group on Facebook, where members are urging each other to lobby elected officials in Queens to stand up for the borough's express bus service, the Queens Courier reported.

The QM6, which runs from the North Shore Towers in Glen Oaks to Midtown Manhattan, would become the QMT167 and run only every 20-30 minutes during morning and evening rush hour on weekdays.

Such changes have become a rallying cry for the 2,000-member Express Bus Advocacy Group on Facebook, where members are urging each other to lobby elected officials in Queens to stand up for the borough's express bus service, the Queens Courier reported.
 

The proposed service cutbacks add insult to injury for northeast Queens officials who say their constituents are being left out of the redesign process: The MTA kicked off a series of public outreach sessions and workshops this month, but its preliminary schedule includes none in northeast Queens.

"I find it particularly galling because we are the ones who have the least transportation of Queens county," City Council Member Barry Grodenchik said in a phone interview. 

Grodenchik and City Council Member Paul Vallone are working with MTA officials to host outreach sessions in their districts, which are beyond the reach of the city's subway system, but nothing has been confirmed.

On the current schedule, the nearest MTA workshop is Wednesday, Jan. 22 in the Queens Library at Flushing.

Full article:  https://patch.com/new-york/bayside/northeast-queens-residents-decry-mtas-proposed-express-bus-cuts

Edited January 28, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Uncle Floyd Fan]

12 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Your comments about Northeast Queens are inaccurate. I have a lot of Northeast Queens express bus riders in my advocacy group that have been spreading the word, including elected officials representing Northeast Queens making it clear that they are vehemently opposed to the changes. Clearly you don’t read any of the local newspapers. My group has been covered several times now, which is how the elected officials started getting contacted by constituents.

@Via Garibaldi 8 - I used the phrase relatively in comparing the concerns that some in NE Queens have vs other sections of Queens (some parts of Queens have been a little more vocal than others). I was also just agreeing with an another commenter on this forum. There is no need to say "Clearly you don’t read any of the local newspapers." I read all the articles where you've been quoted. This is not an attempt to throw shade at your groups. I think you and your groups do great work. This also NOT an attempt to upstage anything you've done thus far. All I'm trying to do is save the bus service in my neighborhood.

I hope my words do not get taken out of context. I think we have the same basic goal...saving express bus service.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

4 hours ago, Uncle Floyd Fan said:

@Via Garibaldi 8 - I used the phrase relatively in comparing the concerns that some in NE Queens have vs other sections of Queens (some parts of Queens have been a little more vocal than others). I was also just agreeing with an another commenter on this forum. There is no need to say "Clearly you don’t read any of the local newspapers." I read all the articles where you've been quoted. This is not an attempt to throw shade at your groups. I think you and your groups do great work. This also NOT an attempt to upstage anything you've done thus far. All I'm trying to do is save the bus service in my neighborhood.

I hope my words do not get taken out of context. I think we have the same basic goal...saving express bus service.

You’re saying that some parts of Queens have been a little more vocal based on what? ALL Queens elected officials have slammed the plan and it has been all over the news. This isn’t about me or my advocacy group. My point is people ARE quite vocal throughout the borough. The turnout at events has been huge thus far. There is even a Queens Network Redesign page where people from all over Queens comment and are creating fliers and pushing to fight the cuts. 
 

Now lots of people still are confused because of how poorly the  put out the plan. They aren’t quite sure what may happen to their line, but they know there’s a problem.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Via Garibaldi 8

[Cain]

12 hours ago, Jdog14 said:

 

OMNY basically made/making SBS a name lol

Sorry, what does that mean?

So the new blue lines in the Queens Redesign Plan (they call it "connecting high-demand areas" service type) are just like Super Limited bus service without the SBS treatment?

[Union Tpke]

14 hours ago, Future ENY OP said:

To that rumor. It’s valid.  I’ve noticed it while traveling on West Street // 12th Avenue.  Since the speed limit went down to 30. It’s becoming harder and harder to drive in this city. 

Good! Driving in the city should be as hard as possible to discourage the practice whenever it can be avoided. This is the only way we will ensure the planet is still habitable. Manhattan, in phases, should be made car-free. In other words, undo the legacies of Robert Moses and Barnes. First, pedestrianize Manhattan south of Chambers Street, with deliveries made by smaller trucks and on bike. Then eliminate the off-ramp from the Brooklyn Bridge onto city streets, and make it pedestrian and transit-only. Then, ban all cars between Chambers and Canal Street. Make all avenues (they are currently highways) two-way to reduce speeding. Tear down the FDR/Harlem River Drive in its entirety and the last section of the West Side Highway. Put in dedicated truck and transitways on 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street, 49th/50th Streets, and ban all private vehicles from using the transverses from Central Park, limiting them to trucks, buses, and emergency vehicles. Also make 125th Street, 181st Street, Lexington Avenue, Second Avenue, and Broadway north of 59th Street transitways. Add dedicated bus lanes on the Queensboro Bridge, and expand the XBL in the Lincoln Tunnel. Lower the speed limit on local streets to 20 mph, turn the West Side Highway into West Street, restore the park on Park Avenue, undo the widening of the north-south avenues. Institute parking pricing, and drastically reduce the amount of on-street parking to provide spaces for deliveries, bike lanes, bus lanes and more pedestrian space. Prohibit the construction of new gas stations and of all new parking garages and spaces. Then, turn the local streets into shared streets, with cars going 5-10 mph. The Henry Hudson Parkway should also be removed, allowing for the restoration of the park, and of beautiful views of the Palisades and the Hudson. Add dedicated transit lanes in the Hugh Carey Tunnel, the Queens-Midtown, Holland, and on the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges.

@P3F I know this will enrage you, but if you want my generation and generations to come to be able to live, this is what needs to be happened. Eventually, I would ban ALL cars from Manhattan. I look forward to your rebuttal.

[N6 Limited]

28 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

Good! Driving in the city should be as hard as possible to discourage the practice whenever it can be avoided. This is the only way we will ensure the planet is still habitable. Manhattan, in phases, should be made car-free. In other words, undo the legacies of Robert Moses and Barnes. First, pedestrianize Manhattan south of Chambers Street, with deliveries made by smaller trucks and on bike. Then eliminate the off-ramp from the Brooklyn Bridge onto city streets, and make it pedestrian and transit-only. Then, ban all cars between Chambers and Canal Street. Make all avenues (they are currently highways) two-way to reduce speeding. Tear down the FDR/Harlem River Drive in its entirety and the last section of the West Side Highway. Put in dedicated truck and transitways on 23rd Street, 34th Street, 42nd Street, 49th/50th Streets, and ban all private vehicles from using the transverses from Central Park, limiting them to trucks, buses, and emergency vehicles. Also make 125th Street, 181st Street, Lexington Avenue, Second Avenue, and Broadway north of 59th Street transitways. Add dedicated bus lanes on the Queensboro Bridge, and expand the XBL in the Lincoln Tunnel. Lower the speed limit on local streets to 20 mph, turn the West Side Highway into West Street, restore the park on Park Avenue, undo the widening of the north-south avenues. Institute parking pricing, and drastically reduce the amount of on-street parking to provide spaces for deliveries, bike lanes, bus lanes and more pedestrian space. Prohibit the construction of new gas stations and of all new parking garages and spaces. Then, turn the local streets into shared streets, with cars going 5-10 mph. The Henry Hudson Parkway should also be removed, allowing for the restoration of the park, and of beautiful views of the Palisades and the Hudson. Add dedicated transit lanes in the Hugh Carey Tunnel, the Queens-Midtown, Holland, and on the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges.

Some of these ideas would be a bit drastic. We need to keep in mind that Manhattan is an island, with limited connections, in the middle of the Metropolitan Area where the most direct trips would involve going through said island, and we do not have a cohesive metropolitan area transit system to make these trips simple and easy.

If there was a tunnel from Brooklyn/Queens directly to NJ I and many others would gladly use it, but we do not have that luxury. You cannot make Manhattan some walled castle without some improvements to road and transit options around the region, NY and NJ (and CT?) would have to work together.  

 

 

[N6 Limited]

12 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Full article:  https://patch.com/new-york/bayside/northeast-queens-residents-decry-mtas-proposed-express-bus-cuts

Someone in the comments said:

Quote

..."The QM-5 & QM-6 are also very heavily used along Union Turnpike, and many people waiting for the slow-ass Q-46 would jump on the QM-6 the first chance they get, " ... 

😄

[B35 via Church]

On 1/26/2020 at 10:11 PM, Cain said:

This may be my unpopular opinion but I do not see enough outrage for the MTA to change their course significantly.

The thing is, regardless of the amount of outrage that has surfaced & any of the proposed routings themselves, the outlook for significant change (from the draft plan to the final plan) that'll end up benefiting the masses, is not great.... They aren't going to let up on the amount of borough-wide service they (don't) want to supply & that's really all there is to it.... If anything, they'll double down on it.

[Union Tpke]

2 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

Some of these ideas would be a bit drastic. We need to keep in mind that Manhattan is an island, with limited connections, in the middle of the Metropolitan Area where the most direct trips would involve going through said island, and we do not have a cohesive metropolitan area transit system to make these trips simple and easy.

If there was a tunnel from Brooklyn/Queens directly to NJ I and many others would gladly use it, but we do not have that luxury. You cannot make Manhattan some walled castle without some improvements to road and transit options around the region, NY and NJ (and CT?) would have to work together.  

Drastic is what is needed to step the climate crisis. Using a car might be nice, but we cannot afford to let everyone have what they enjoy the most given the juncture we are at. A regional rail system, a la Alon Levy, would solve that problem. The tunnels are already there for Queens to NJ. For Bk to NJ, extend the Atlantic Branch to stop at Downtown Brooklyn,  Fulton Street and Pavonia, connecting to the Pascack/Port Jervis/Main/Bergen Lines.

[BrooklynBus]

31 minutes ago, B35 via Church said:

The thing is, regardless of the amount of outrage that has surfaced & any of the proposed routings themselves, the outlook for significant change (from the draft plan to the final plan) that'll end up benefiting the masses, is not great.... They aren't going to let up on the amount of borough-wide service they (don't) want to supply & that's really all there is to it.... If anything, they'll double down on it.

This is what I see happening. They will add a little east west service in Jackson Heights. They will restore the Q53. They will keep three express routes runnng on Sunday. They will add back about 25 bus stops. In exchange they will shorten a few new routes to pay for the new changes to keep costs neutral. 

The politicians will claim victory because the MTA listened to a few comments. The MTA will say that the public participation process made for a better plan.

Most Queens residents will still be unhappy and will show it by using the buses less. The MTA will blame the loss of patronage on the fare increase, claiming the changes were a success but could have been better if they had more money to work with. Meanwhile they will waste the congestion pricing funds on unnecessary bus lanes on streets with infrequent bus service. 

[N6 Limited]

19 minutes ago, Union Tpke said:

Drastic is what is needed to step the climate crisis. Using a car might be nice, but we cannot afford to let everyone have what they enjoy the most given the juncture we are at. A regional rail system, a la Alon Levy, would solve that problem. The tunnels are already there for Queens to NJ. For Bk to NJ, extend the Atlantic Branch to stop at Downtown Brooklyn,  Fulton Street and Pavonia, connecting to the Pascack/Port Jervis/Main/Bergen Lines.

The "climate crisis" is made up. If we want more efficient movement of people around congested metropolitan areas, that's one thing, but using the "climate crisis" as the reason is farcical. They want western countries to "be green" while India and China, the most populous countries are ramping up their pollution/industrialization, kind of defeats the purpose. If you'll also notice, the climate crisis' "point of no return" keeps getting extended every 10-15 years, very convenient for fear mongering.  

Anyway, a Circle line would be nice, perhaps the North Shore of Staten Island across to Brooklyn,  the Bay Ridge Branch (Triboro RX) up to the Bronx, then across the GWB lower level to NJ and Down to Staten Island.

[Union Tpke]

1 minute ago, N6 Limited said:

The "climate crisis" is made up. If we want more efficient movement of people around congested metropolitan areas, that's one thing, but using the "climate crisis" as the reason is farcical. They want western countries to "be green" while India and China, the most populous countries are ramping up their pollution/industrialization, kind of defeats the purpose. If you'll also notice, the climate crisis' "point of no return" keeps getting extended every 10-15 years, very convenient for fear mongering.  

Anyway, a Circle line would be nice, perhaps the North Shore of Staten Island across to Brooklyn,  the Bay Ridge Branch (Triboro RX) up to the Bronx, then across the GWB lower level to NJ and Down to Staten Island.

Are you kidding me. The world is on fire around us, and you are denying it, giving in to the propaganda of big oil. You don't believe that countries in the Global South have the right to develop their economies like we have been able to? We had the privilege to do so, but no, "those" countries are not allowed to. If anything, it has become clearer that the results will be disastrous. If you don't trust the 99.9% of climate scientists who state that it is real, why do you trust the FDA to ensure that the food you eat isn't spoiled, why do you trust the EPA to ensure your water is safe to drink?

Agree on the second point.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

East Elmhurst town hall erupts over Queens bus network redesign

January 27, 2020

EAST ELMHURST AND JACKSON HEIGHTS RESIDENTS SCOLDED MTA OFFICIALS OVER THE PROPOSED QUEENS BUS NETWORK REDESIGN. EAGLE FILE PHOTO BY JONATHAN SPERLING.

By Victoria Merlino

Angry East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights residents railed against the MTA’s proposed changes to bus lines in Queens at a town hall on Friday night, scolding — and in some cases yelling at —  officials over the elimination of favored routes. 

The Queens bus network redesign draft plan, released late last year, proposes sweeping changes to the current bus routes in the borough, including what the MTA hopes would be faster travel times overall and better service in the public transit-starved Eastern Queens. 

The draft plan remained unpopular since its announcement, with all 15 Queens councilmembers saying last week that they oppose the plan.

More than 150 residents were able to speak directly with MTA representatives, including Chief of Operations Planning Judy McClain, or write their comments on the proposed routes and submit to the transit agency.

“It’s really great to see such an incredible turnout tonight,” McClain said, noting that the MTA has already received over 5,000 comments about the plan. “We need your feedback. We need to hear what you need to get to the store, to get to your jobs, to get to school, see your friends. That’s what we want to do. We want to provide a service that works for you.”

The town hall, hosted by State Sen. Jessica Ramos, gave residents a platform to voice their growing anxiety over the changes, especially to the Q49 route.  

“The Q49, they’re totally redesigning in a way that does not serve the public,” said East Elmhurst resident Fernando Valdez. Valdez broke his leg a few months ago, and said his only option to get to work was to take the bus to the 74th Street transit hub in Jackson Heights and take the elevator. 

The redesign would force him to use the 90th Street No. 7 train station, which does not have an elevator, he said. 

“They did not take the community into account,” Valdez said of the MTA, noting that though he is bilingual, he did not see any Spanish communications from the MTA to explain the draft plan to the heavily Spanish-speaking community. 

Dorinda Mapp, another resident, said her husband, who uses a cane, would not be able to get to Roosevelt Avenue without the Q49 bus route. 

“As a lifelong resident of the Corona/East Elmhurst/Jackson Heights community, my first thought is that if it’s not broke don’t fix it. Our neighborhood is well-known for being accessible,” she said.

Vanessa Sanchez, a local Girl Scout who attended the meeting with her troop, said that proposed changes to the Q33, Q32 and Q66 would make it more difficult for her and her troop members to get home from school and from troop meetings. 

“Our meetings are on Friday nights. Some of us go to the meetings by ourselves and the 7 train isn’t the most safe place; we have to take the buses,” Sanchez said. 

MTA spokesperson Amanda Kwan told the Eagle that the agency is excited about the feedback it has received so far on the plan. 

“We are excited by the feedback we’ve received so far on our draft plan to dramatically reimagine the Queens bus network, because the redesign is an iterative, customer-led process that will result in better service for hundreds of thousands of customers,” she said. “What we have proposed is a draft that will change as we get more public input, and everyone will have the opportunity to share feedback. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to give Queens residents the bus service they deserve.”

Meetings and workshops about the plan will continue into next month as the MTA looks to receive more comments about the plan. They are as follows:

Kew Gardens 

Jan. 28

Queens Borough Hall

120-55 Queens Blvd

Ozone Park

Jan. 29

JHS 202 Robert H. Goddard

138-80 Lafayette St.

Corona

Jan. 30

Langston Hughes Library and Cultural Center

100-01 Northern Blvd

Long Island City

Feb. 4

Jacob Riis Settlement

1025 41 Ave

Rockaways

Feb. 5

RISE/Rockaway Waterfront Alliance

58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd.

Bayside

Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.

Korean Community Services

203-05 32nd Ave.

Bellerose

Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.

Cross Island YMCA, 238-10 Hillside Ave.

The MTA told the Eagle there would be additional forums in Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens and Oakland Gardens.

Source: https://queenseagle.com/all/east-elmhurst-town-hall-erupts-over-queens-bus-network-redesign?fbclid=IwAR1Af0e8bQeMWfNa3sJijeB-6LaCo7tleh2jy49jYMqim1LWMegYSGIT2vQ

[N6 Limited]

1 hour ago, Union Tpke said:

Are you kidding me. The world is on fire around us, and you are denying it, giving in to the propaganda of big oil. You don't believe that countries in the Global South have the right to develop their economies like we have been able to? We had the privilege to do so, but no, "those" countries are not allowed to. If anything, it has become clearer that the results will be disastrous. If you don't trust the 99.9% of climate scientists who state that it is real, why do you trust the FDA to ensure that the food you eat isn't spoiled, why do you trust the EPA to ensure your water is safe to drink?

Agree on the second point.

There are natural disasters and weather changes everyday, earthquakes, fires, mudslides, blizzards, hurricanes/typhoons, heatwaves, cold fronts, etc. These things have been happening for eons, but, every time something happens it's blamed on "climate change". It's like, "No, it's summer, a 98 degree day is bound to happen, stop."

I'm not saying that countries don't have the right to develop, but basically, they're saying "Selective countries must pay money to prevent climate change, but any other country can pollute as they please." Does that make sense to you?

As for propaganda, How are big tires for buses created? How are buses fueled? What liquids are used to run it's systems? What material is used for the seats and non-slip floors, wire insulation, etc? For electric buses and rail, how is the electricity generated? How are the batteries created? How are they disposed of?

The FDA and EPA are another story. All of these agencies have two faces. Look at PETA, they rally for the "Ethical treatment of animals", but they're probably the number 2 murderer of animals after slaughter houses. "If we can't find a home for these lovely animals, we're gonna put them to sleep, we don't them". "Also, If you care for your animals you'll get their testes and ovaries removed, and declawed if possible". 

 

The circle line should have access to all the crossing modes of transporation if possible.

Edited January 28, 2020 by N6 Limited

[Cait Sith]

Well, this conversation sure went left....

Back on topic, please.

[OrionVIIonM79]

3 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

There are natural disasters and weather changes everyday, earthquakes, fires, mudslides, blizzards, hurricanes/typhoons, heatwaves, cold fronts, etc. These things have been happening for eons, but, every time something happens it's blamed on "climate change". It's like, "No, it's summer, a 98 degree day is bound to happen, stop."

I'm not saying that countries don't have the right to develop, but basically, they're saying "Selective countries must pay money to prevent climate change, but any other country can pollute as they please." Does that make sense to you?

As for propaganda, How are big tires for buses created? How are buses fueled? What liquids are used to run it's systems? What material is used for the seats and non-slip floors, wire insulation, etc? For electric buses and rail, how is the electricity generated? How are the batteries created? How are they disposed of?

The FDA and EPA are another story. All of these agencies have two faces. Look at PETA, they rally for the "Ethical treatment of animals", but they're probably the number 2 murderer of animals after slaughter houses. "If we can't find a home for these lovely animals, we're gonna put them to sleep, we don't them". "Also, If you care for your animals you'll get their testes and ovaries removed, and declawed if possible". 

 

The circle line should have access to all the crossing modes of transporation if possible.

Climate change is happening because of f***ing  idiots like you who refuse to believe it

[N6 Limited]

14 minutes ago, OrionVIIonM79 said:

Climate change is happening because of f***ing  idiots like you who refuse to believe it

So it's the lack of belief that's causing it? Interesting.

Edited January 28, 2020 by N6 Limited

[BreeddekalbL]

Good that their angry

[bobtehpanda]

On 1/27/2020 at 9:14 AM, NY1635 said:

You do Know I'm an IRS Agent and I can throw you in Prison for making a threat right?

So this is who leaves all those robotic voicemails...

[Jdog14]

On 1/27/2020 at 12:14 PM, NY1635 said:

You do Know I'm an IRS Agent and I can throw you in Prison for making a threat right?

 

I've never witnessed such a comment in any forums in all the years I've known forums....

[OrionVIIonM79]

There. You admitted climate change exists