By Bill Parry
The Q103 bus that connects Long Island City with Astoria will expand its service to include weekends this summer.
The bus line, which runs along Vernon Boulevard, passes cultural institutions and waterfront parks and has had increased ridership, prompting the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to give the expanded service a trial run.
A public hearing will be scheduled for a review before a decision is made on whether or not it will be permanent, according to the MTA.
“Given the continued growth along our waterfront destinations, we’ve been trying to get transit to catch up,” state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria) said. “We’ve been trying to get this expansion, especially the weekends, since 2011. We’re always looking to help and this is a good one for us.”
The Q103 will take riders past the Socrates Sculpture Park, The Noguchi Museum and the Chocolate Factory Theater.
“The art bus, yeah, I like that,” Gianaris said.
City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) pointed to the new developments along the waterfront as well as the cultural organizations.
“Currently there is no connection for local residents who need to travel between Astoria and Long Island City on the weekends and evenings,” he said. “The expansion of service will allow our cultural organizations the ability to draw in more traffic to their venues and will give local residents additional transportation options as western Queens continues to struggle with consecutive service disruptions on the 7, G , N, Q and R trains.”
On Saturday afternoon, there were less than a dozen visitors in Socrates Sculpture Park despite gorgeous weather and a new display by Polish sculptor Pawel Althamer.
“Queen Mother of Reality,”a giant piece measuring 18 feet high and 50 feet long and made from recycled materials, was by itself along the East River.
“The Q103 service is a vital bus line for western Queens, an area truly suffering from the lack of public transportation options,” John Hatfield, the executive director at Socrates Sculpture Park, said. “The closest subway is a mile away from here.”
Jenny Dixon, director of Noguchi Museum, called the Q103 a vital link for the cultural institutions of western Queens.
“It enables visitors to go from the Noguchi Museum and Socrates Sculpture Center in the north to Sculpture Center, MoMA PS1, Dorsky Gallery and the Chocolate Factory in the south,” she said.
Calling the absence of public transportation a barrier between north and south, Chocolate Factory Executive Director Sheila Lewandowski said, “Everyone should be able to get to Socrates or the Chocolate Factory or to the Queensborough Bridge or to free kayaking during the summers in Hallets Cove.”
Linking cultural destinations and parks is important for economic development in western Queens, but Jess Nizar, senior organizer at the Riders Alliance, pointed to the residents of Long Island City and Astoria.
“The Q103 is the only means of public transportation along the waterfront community,” Nizar said. “It’s essential that local residents have reliable and expanded bus service so that they can access community institutions, jobs and healthcare.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538
