All 15 Queens councilmembers blast planned bus line overhaul
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EAGLE FILE PHOTO BY JONATHAN SPERLING.
By David Brand
UPDATE [5:58 p.m., 1/23/2020] — This story has been updated to include a response from the MTA.
All 15 city councilmembers from Queens say they oppose the MTA’s draft plan to overhaul the borough’s bus network, unless significant changes are made to ensure better, more extensive service, particularly in public “transportation deserts.”
The entire Queens delegation issued a joint press release condemning the plan Thursday, citing criticism and concerns from constituents across the borough. Queens residents have specifically complained about a lack of express bus service and proposed route cuts in neighborhoods that do not have subway service, as well as alterations that would sever bus service in specific locations.
“We are deeply concerned about losing bus service on Little Neck Parkway and Braddock Avenue as well as throughout Glen Oaks,” said Northeast Queens Councilmember Barry Grodenchik, whose district does not include a subway line. “We need the bus redesign to provide better, faster, more expansive bus service.”
Councilmember Robert Holden called for an express service line in Maspeth, one of the neighborhoods he represents.
“In District 30, we only have access to two stops on one subway line, so my constituents rely heavily on the bus network,” said Holden, whose district includes the end of the M train line. “Maspeth is in desperate need of an express bus route, but this plan actually reduces the current express routes.
The Queens delegation called on the MTA to revise the plan and commit more money to making an equitable transit system in a borough home to more than 2.3 million residents.
“The goal of public transit should be to take New Yorkers from point A to point B expeditiously,” said Councilmember Adrienne Adams, who represents a swath of Southeast Queens. “The plan in its current form would make this goal unattainable for many residents of Queens especially commuters with limited public transit options.”
The MTA unveiled the draft plan in late December, with then-MTA NYC Transit President Andy Byford describing the transformative proposals as “one of the pillars” of the agency’s Fast Forward plan.
“We are very excited about this draft plan for Queens buses because it is a true reimagination of the routes that incorporates the earned knowledge of customers, our ground personnel and operations staff to create a new foundation of bus service in Queens,” Byford said in a statement. Byford resigned his position Thursday.
Several councilmembers highlighted plan components that would affect specific bus lines in their districts.
Wait times for the Q18 would increase from eight minutes to 20 minutes, Astoria Councilmember Costa Constantinides pointed out.
Meanwhile, the plan would eliminate the Q53, noted Ozone Park Councilmember Eric Ulrich; it would also phase out express lines meant to reduce crowding on the No. 7 train, said Flushing Councilmember Peter Koo.
MTA spokesperson Amanda Kwon said the redesign plan will change based on community feedback and “will improve service by rebuilding the entire system from a blank canvas using public feedback and data-driven study about today’s ridership needs.”
“And while there are always fiscal constraints in an organization with finite funds, budget is not a factor at this stage as we solicit feedback on a preliminary proposal,” Kwon added.
The agency hosted community forums on the bus plan in Ridgewood on Tuesday and Flushing on Wednesday. Six additional sessions will take place at 6 p.m. on the following dates:
Jamaica
Jan. 23
Queens Educational Opportunity Center
15829 Archer Ave.
Kew Gardens
Jan. 28
Queens Borough Hall
120-55 Queens Blvd
Ozone Park
Jan. 29
JHS 202 Robert H. Goddard
138-80 Lafayette St.
Corona
Jan. 30
Langston Hughes Library and Cultural Center
100-01 Northern Blvd
Long Island City
Feb. 4
Jacob Riis Settlement
1025 41 Ave
Rockaways
Feb. 5
RISE/Rockaway Waterfront Alliance
58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd.
The MTA also agreed to host two additional forums for Eastern Queens. The sessions will take place at:
Bayside
Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
Korean Community Services
203-05 32nd Ave.
Bellerose
Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
Cross Island YMCA, 238-10 Hillside Ave.
The MTA told the Eagle there would be four more forums in Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens and Oakland Gardens.
