Assembly Member Steven Raga has announced that the Q32 bus stop at the intersection of Woodside’s 58th Street and Roosevelt Avenue will no longer be removed as part of the planned Queens Bus Network Redesign following widespread community opposition to the planned removal.
The Queens Bus Network Redesign, part of the MTA’s efforts to modernize the city’s bus network and improve bus service in Queens, initially outlined plans to remove the Q32 bus stop, prompting significant pushback from the local community.
Raga, who led opposition to the removal, said many constituents used the stop to access the downtown Woodside shopping area as well as attend religious services at St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church and Woodside Community Church.
He added that the stop’s planned removal threatened to leave many local residents without the public transport necessary to reach certain areas.
Raga praised the MTA for responding to community input and concerns and described the stop as a “critical” transit link for the area.
“Our office strives to represent and amplify all voices in our community,” Raga said in a statement. “Faced with the Queens Bus Network Redesign’s plan to remove the Roosevelt Ave/58th St stop from the Q32 bus route, we promptly consulted with residents in our communities—particularly seniors and the mobility-impaired. Fortunately, our firm advocacy to the MTA successfully preserved the stop, and we continue to uphold our commitment to equitable access to public transit.”
State Sen. Mike Gianaris also praised the MTA for reversing course on plans to remove the bus stop and spoke of the power of community-led campaigns.
“The community spoke up, we as elected officials amplified their voices, and this bus stop will continue to serve the community as a result,” Gianaris said in a statement.
William Jourdain, executive director of Woodside on the Move, also said efforts to save the bus stop demonstrate the impact that elected officials, agencies and community members can have by working together.
“When agencies, elected officials, and community members come together with a shared purpose, real change is possible. The effort to preserve the Q32 bus stop on 58th Street & Roosevelt Avenue is a powerful example of that,” Jourdain said in a statement. “We were able to protect a vital transit lifeline. Especially for our seniors who rely on it daily. This victory shows what we can accomplish through agency when we listen to our community and act collectively.”
Council Member Julie Won, who represents the neighboring Council District 26, said the successful preservation of the bus stop represents a victory for seniors, working families and residents with mobility issues.
“Our neighbors in Woodside depend on the Q32 bus stop at Roosevelt Avenue and 58th to access essential services,” Won said in a statement.
Rev. Patrick J. West, from the Church of Saint Sebastian, praised Raga for listening to the concerns of the community and “elevating” the voice of local residents.
“Many of the elderly members of our parish community would not have been able to attend Sunday Mass if the proposed changes to the Q32 would have taken effect,” West said. “His advocacy helped to preserve the ability of our parishioners to continue to come together and participate in the faith life of the Church as they have done for so many years. We also thank the MTA for hearing from our community. The decision to retain the Q32 is a victory for our beloved Woodside and…reaffirms the power of unity, advocacy and community.”
Raga said the MTA has decided to proceed with the removal of the Q18 bus stop at 50th Avenue and 65th Place as part of the Queens Bus Network Redesign but praised the agency for preserving the Q32 stop.
