Looks To Ease Congested Corridor
Several Queens lawmakers signed onto a letter last month supporting Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along Cross Bay and Woodhaven boulevards-and, in a second letter last Friday, Oct. 24, called for Select Bus Service (SBS) on the congested corridor.
The letter–signed by City Council Members Costas Constantinides, Elizabeth Crowley, Daniel Dromm, Julissa Ferreras, Karen Koslowitz, Donovan Richards and Eric Ulrich–was addressed to MTA New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco and DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.
In addition to urging that SBS be implemented, the elected officials lobbied the MTA and DOT for the service to be extended to Far Rockaway, it was noted.
The lawmakers argued that SBS could reduce commute times by up to 30 percent if it were installed on the congested northsouth corridor, the letter stated.
“We request that the city and the MTA work quickly to improve conditions along these congested streets,” the letter said. “Woodhaven Boulevard should be a top priority for improvements to pedestrian safety, traffic flow and bus service.”
Almost 900,000 people in nearby communities commute more than an hour each way to work, and more than two-thirds are low-income wage earners, the letter noted.
SBS is a transportation system that could convert bus operations to more closely mirror the subway, MTA officials claim.
It would install dedicated bus lanes, off-board fare collection, and transit signal priority to offer faster and more reliable service on high-ridership bus routes, according to the agency.
Lawmakers believe it will improve traffic flow, increase pedestrian safety and prioritize faster bus service along the congested corridor, the letter stated.
“It is imperative that we increase acess and equity to all New Yorkers,” the lawmakers wroted. “That is why we formally request to enhance the plans of Bus Rapid Transit along Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards for full-scale implementation, and also that it extends throughout the entire Rockaway peninsula.”
“Communities, like the one I represent, are bursting with potential for growth, but need better access to public transportation to achieve it,” Crowley said in a separate statement. “Expanding highquality BRT throughout Queens will help uplift working families that have struggled for generations in underserved parts of our city.”
