By Philip Newman
Representatives of a Queens neighborhood have complained of a surfeit of unbidden bus routes through their residential streets to a mall owned by the family of Dale Hemmerdinger, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman.
The City Council Transportation Committee heard testimony June 19 on the MTA's procedures in establishing and changing bus routes.
Alex Maureau of Glendale, representing “Stop the Q45” bus committee said his group is opposed to a proposed bus route change and extension of the existing Q45 route through residential streets of Glendale to the Atlas Park shopping mall.
“What we find curious is that no resident or community entity has requested extended service of the Q45,” Maureau said.
“As much as the MTA initially tried to have everyone believe this is a benefit for the community, they have now stated that the bus extension is solely for the purpose of bringing shoppers to the new and still expanding Shops at Atlas Park.”
A City Council Transportation Committee briefing paper said the MTA had considered requests to reroute the Q23 and Q45 to the mall. Currently, the Q23 reroute proposal is no longer being considered, but the Q45 proposal is still under consideration.
“Mr. Hemmerdinger's son, Damon, who operates the mall, has stated that his father would not be involved in the decision to reroute buses, but some Glendale residents have called on Dale Hemmerdinger to recuse himself from any vote on the reroutings,” according to the briefing paper.
Hemmerdinger, through an MTA spokesperson, has said he would recuse himself from any proceedings regarding the reroutings, the briefing paper said.
At one point, in a June 19 public hearing, City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing), the Transportation Committee chairman, unfurled an MTA bus route map.
“This map shows only one shopping mall,” said Liu. “It is the Atlas Mall. The map shows no Queens Center mall, no Bay Terrace mall, no Fresh Meadows shopping center.”
“Very interesting,” said Liu, grinning.
Peter Cafiero, the New York City Transit chief of operations planning for buses, and Norman Silverman, vice president of operations planning for buses, testified at the hearing. Both were asked how the transit agency decides what routes to establish and change.
They said certain kinds of change require a vote by the MTA board.
“The MTA should formulate and implement clear procedures for modifying bus routes,” Liu said. “While conscientious efforts may be undertaken in some cases, the lack of set procedures gives the appearance of caprice and may, in fact, result in willy-nilly change. In the case of expanding bus service to Atlas Park, people have every reason to suspect favoritism and nepotism.”
City Councilman Anthony Como (D-Ridgewood), recently elected to replace Dennis Gallagher, who resigned, was introduced at the hearing.
