The Q60 bus rides on Queens Boulevard.
Picture by Barbara Russo-Lennon
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In the case of mass transit, buses are king in Queens. Greater than 800,000 folks experience the bus day by day, greater than some other borough by far and greater than the complete bus community in Philadelphia. So, it is sensible that our proposed closing plan for the Queens Bus Community Redesign is in contrast to some other tried thus far.
To cite Nas, “Queens get the money” — $35 million to be precise, to create a greater, quicker bus system that truly takes folks the place they wish to go. For 70 years now, routes have been dictated by previous trolley strains that fail to contemplate the wonderful development and alter Queens has seen in that point. That modifications in summer season 2025.
Our newest proposal, which has been 5 years within the making, would enhance the whole variety of bus routes to 124 – 94 native routes and 30 categorical. That’s a double-digit proportion enhance over right now’s system. Extra importantly, 20 routes have both elevated frequency or expanded their hours of operation, with a give attention to key streets like Union Turnpike, Merrick Boulevard and the western part of Northern Boulevard. We’ve additionally added 25 Rush Routes particularly designed to attach Queens residents to the rail system – a gamechanger for folks with a two-step commute.
There’s something for each rider, and that’s intentional. This redesign has been a customer-driven course of from Day One. Within the final 12 months alone, we now have held greater than 70 outreach occasions to assemble suggestions immediately from New Yorkers. This plan was made for Queens bus riders by Queens bus riders, and their suggestions has vastly enriched the ultimate plan.
As president of New York Metropolis Transit, I all the time wish to hear what riders are considering – the nice, unhealthy, and the ugly. It’s the one method we will make an actual distinction, and I care deeply about giving clients time again of their day. I do know what it’s like to sit down in site visitors on the Q5 heading house from work in Jamaica – I did that commute for years. And I do know in addition to anybody that there’s room for enchancment on buses. That’s what this redesign is all about.
The World’s Borough deserves a world-class bus community, and I can’t look ahead to riders to expertise the advantages subsequent summer season.
