Queens Bus Redesign Discussion Thread

[nuyorican]

18 hours ago, jaf0519 said:

According to the MTA, the New Draft Plan will be released tomorrow. I’m surprised, I was expecting them to wait until the 31st. Hopefully they fixed the major issues and didn’t scrap some of the actual improvements that they got right the first time.

its still not up yet on mta.com

[MysteriousBtrain]

18 hours ago, jaf0519 said:

According to the MTA, the New Draft Plan will be released tomorrow. I’m surprised, I was expecting them to wait until the 31st. Hopefully they fixed the major issues and didn’t scrap some of the actual improvements that they got right the first time.

Source?

[Gotham Bus Co.]

40 minutes ago, nuyorican said:

its still not up yet on mta.com

Maybe end of day?

[jaf0519]

26 minutes ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Source?

MTA Committee Meeting yesterday. On YouTube the video is “MTA Board- NYCT/Bus Committee Meeting- 03/28/2022.” Frank Annicaro mentions it at 56:30.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

28 minutes ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

Source?

 

11 minutes ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

Maybe end of day?

 

2 minutes ago, jaf0519 said:

MTA Committee Meeting yesterday. On YouTube the video is “MTA Board- NYCT/Bus Committee Meeting- 03/28/2022.” Frank Annicaro mentions it at 56:30.

@jaf0519 is correct. Supposedly there will be an  Press Conference coming today around 11:00am.

Edited March 29, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[N6 Limited]

 

[jaf0519]

https://new.mta.info/document/79616

It’s up

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Link to the New Queens Redesign just posted in my group: https://new.mta.info/project/queens-bus-network-redesign?fbclid=IwAR0APoRbfqsf4Oi_1u_5RT4QD4lHTm7fA1K5ze1Bw_7cOQg-g_kxOWfozNY

[Lawrence St]

It looks like they did something similar with the Greenpoint Waterfront routes like I did with my B6/B6A bus.

[paulrivera]

My first glance:

-Q44 to Fordham Plaza, it's about time! I don't know if it'll be reliable but I think it'll be popular since right now it's a real PITA to travel between the Fordham area and Queens.

I'll read the rest as the day goes on.

Edited March 29, 2022 by paulrivera

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This plan on express bus side is better than the original mess in terms of presentation, but it still misses the mark, as there are too many service cuts planned.

The QM3 is still up to be eliminated entirely, and they are proposing 60 - 90 minute waits in between buses off-peak on the QM2, QM5, QM6 and QM15 and no off-peak QM20 service.

[Future ENY OP]

Just now, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

This plan on express bus side is better than the original mess in terms of presentation, but it still misses the mark, as there are too many service cuts planned.

The QM3 is still up to be eliminated entirely, and they are proposing 60 - 90 minute waits in between buses off-peak on the QM2, QM5, QM6 and QM15 and no off-peak QM20 service.

Yes. TA messes up again.  They really need to suspend the express bus re-alignments for all boroughs. There’s not enough study to this.  Where is the TA getting these #’s from for low ridership on the QM3? But also, does the QM3 in a way duplicate the LIRR to an extent in NW Queens? 

[Gotham Bus Co.]

2 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

But also, does the QM3 in a way duplicate the LIRR to an extent in NW Queens? 

It parallels the Port Washington branch. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

5 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

Yes. TA messes up again.  They really need to suspend the express bus re-alignments for all boroughs. There’s not enough study to this.  Where is the TA getting these #’s from for low ridership on the QM3? But also, does the QM3 in a way duplicate the LIRR to an extent in NW Queens? 

They're going to say it has low ridership because it only has three trips in each direction. lol Their goal is to force more riders onto the LIRR, even if that makes their commute more difficult. If the LIRR was a viable option for those people, they would be taking it already. The QM3 runs away from the LIRR and serves away outside of the Penn Station area.

  

1 minute ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

It parallels the Port Washington branch. 

No it doesn't.

Edited March 29, 2022 by Via Garibaldi 8

[The TransitMan]

Replacing the Q6 with an extension of the Q1 from Bellerose to JFK Cargo Area? Yep, that Q6 will be re-introduced.

[GreatOne2k]

Q50 will now run 24/7 because of the LGA extension. Would have been better if they had not already cut off peak service back to Pelham Bay Park. At least late night service should run to Co Op City.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I do like some of the route proposals for the express bus lines. Some of them make a lot of sense and are more direct, while still serving the same areas. That's the one plus, but too much proposed service cuts.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

25 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

No it doesn't.

The PW branch stations at Little Neck, Douglaston, Bayside, Auburndale, Broadway, and Murray Hill are all within 0.4 mile of QM3 stops. Meanwhile, both Penn Station and the future LIRR part of Grand Central (allowing for East Side Access) are within walking distance of QM3 stops in Manhattan. Sounds parallel to me.

 

Maybe the QM3 should hop on the FDR to cover the "Downtown Loop" to truly distinguish itself from the PW.

[Gotham Bus Co.]

14 minutes ago, GreatOne2k said:

Q50 will now run 24/7 because of the LGA extension. Would have been better if they had not already cut off peak service back to Pelham Bay Park. At least late night service should run to Co Op City.

The Q50 Co-op City part should have been straightened out to follow the BxM7.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 minutes ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

The PW branch stations at Little Neck, Douglaston, Bayside, Auburndale, Broadway, and Murray Hill are all within 0.4 mile of QM3 stops. Meanwhile, both Penn Station and the future LIRR part of Grand Central (allowing for East Side Access) are within walking distance of QM3 stops in Manhattan. Sounds parallel to me.

 

Maybe the QM3 should hop on the FDR to cover the "Downtown Loop" to truly distinguish itself from the PW.

Yeah, except the QM3 serves more areas in Manhattan besides Penn Station. Anyone traveling outside of Penn Station has to transfer. In fact you'd need two transfers if you are going to say 57th & 3rd.

[Future ENY OP]

47 minutes ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

It parallels the Port Washington branch. 

That’s what I thought. In a way it does parallel the PW branch. That’s the only branch that doesn’t enter Jamaica at all. However, enters from Woodside and it’s not a biggest hub for LIRR per say. 

Edited March 29, 2022 by Future ENY OP

[Gotham Bus Co.]

10 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Yeah, except the QM3 serves more areas in Manhattan besides Penn Station. Anyone traveling outside of Penn Station has to transfer. In fact you'd need two transfers if you are going to say 57th & 3rd.

Or, after East Side Access opens, you ride to Grand Central and walk.

[Future ENY OP]

A few notes I got so far. Still reading on this plan.  

Interboro Routes: Q24, Q54, Q55, Q56 all stop at 170th and Jamaica. 

Green Acres swap: No longer the Q5 to service the mall. Q85 remains, and New Q86 to take over Merrick Boulevard and the mall. 

QCC issue: Glad they figured out this issue with a new Q73 and a revamp of Q75.  

Q83 gets shortened to Archer-153. This makes sense. I’ve always wondered why it went to Hillside-153 and my guess is lack of spacing at Archer for the 83 to stand. 

I don’t know how I feel about this B53?  It’s a re-do of the old B40 between Bway Jct & Williamsburg Plaza. 

Q39, Q67 swapping terminals.  

Q68 heading to Williamsburg. 

 

... more notes later. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

Or, after East Side Access opens, you ride to Grand Central and walk.

Not the end of the world... There are many things I like about this redesign, but they need to do much better on span/frequency. No way is 90 minutes between buses flying.  If riders give up the QM3, we need something else in return.

[IAlam]

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

Yes. TA messes up again.  They really need to suspend the express bus re-alignments for all boroughs. There’s not enough study to this.  Where is the TA getting these #’s from for low ridership on the QM3? But also, does the QM3 in a way duplicate the LIRR to an extent in NW Queens? 

58 minutes ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

It parallels the Port Washington branch. 

The PW line AM peak service is terrible if you're west of Bayside the QM3 provide an alternative to that.

Still reading the plan but other than minor issues the plan on the local side so far looks a lot better.