STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A controversial bus lane extension has been completed on Hylan Boulevard, and despite some community opposition to the project, riders are already seeing speedier commutes, according to the city.
On Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has completed work on a revised Hylan Boulevard bus lane extension, spanning 1.4 miles southbound, from Lincoln Avenue to Guyon Avenue, and 3.3 miles northbound, from Lincoln Avenue to Nelson Avenue.
“Staten Island needs faster and more reliable buses, and these bus lane extensions mean easier commutes for tens of thousands of riders every day,” de Blasio said. “Rebuilding a fairer and better city means doubling down on public transportation, and I look forward to continuing to improve car-free options in every borough.”
Hylan Boulevard was selected for the bus lane extension due to the high number of MTA bus routes that use the thoroughfare on a daily basis. The boulevard serves 11 MTA bus routes, with a combined 32,500 average weekday riders. The street serves an average of 68 buses per hour during the morning peak and 59 buses per hour during the evening peak.
Since completing the extension, bus speeds in the area have already increased significantly compared to what they were prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to DOT data.
During the morning rush, average northbound bus speeds are now at 11.8 mph, a 28% increase over the 9.2 mph average pre-COVID, data shows. During the evening rush, average southbound bus speeds are now at 14.9 mph, a 71% increase over the 8.7 mph average pre-COVID, according to the data.
“Dedicated bus lanes on Staten Island such as these are needed to speed up what is already one of the lengthiest commutes in the country, and to get people out of their cars government has to incentivize people to take mass transit," said Borough President James Oddo.
"I hope to see the improved bus speeds experienced during the pandemic by our SIM Express Bus commuters, particularly along this Hylan Boulevard corridor, maintained as a result to this Better Buses Restart project,” he added.
Curbside bus lanes, “bus only” markings and signage changes have been implemented along the roadway, with no changes to remaining travel lanes. The installation of the bus lanes did not include red paint this year, as it has in years past, but it could be added in the future, according to the DOT.
The bus lane is in effect from 6 to 9 a.m. northbound, and from 3 to 7 p.m. southbound.
Now that installation has been completed, the DOT will monitor the roadway for bus speeds and reliability, vehicle travel times and illegal parking and enforcement issues, which will be posted online and provided to the project’s Community Advisory Board.
HOW WE GOT HERE
In July, the DOT presented plans to extend the bus lanes on Hylan Boulevard by 3.3 miles in each direction, from Lincoln Avenue down to Nelson Avenue, to a Community Advisory Board that included local elected officials and other stakeholders.
However, the plans were met with immediate criticism by members of the community and City Councilmen Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) and Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore), who argued the extension could exacerbate existing congestion issues and eliminate much-needed street parking in the area.
The councilmen also voiced concerns that Staten Island’s commuting habits might change as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which could cause more Staten Islanders to commute by car instead of bus, and that the implementation of such projects should be delayed until the traffic implications are better understood.
As a result, the DOT adjusted the extension plans in the southbound direction to cover a smaller portion of Hylan Boulevard, spanning 1.4 miles from Lincoln Avenue to Guyon Avenue, as opposed to the initial plans to run from Lincoln Avenue to Nelson Avenue.
However, the northbound extension remained unchanged from the initial proposal, running the entire 3.3-mile length of Hylan Boulevard, from Lincoln Avenue to Nelson Avenue.
Despite the changes in the southbound direction, Matteo said he remains opposed to the recently completed extension, citing the potential for gridlock in the event of common roadway issues.
“I am still not on board with this plan. We are a pothole or a construction project away from a jam-packed Hylan Boulevard -- and taking away another lane without clearly understanding what impact it will have on traffic is not the way to go," Matteo said.
———
©2020 Staten Island Advance, N.Y.
Visit Staten Island Advance, N.Y. at www.silive.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
"bus" - Google News
October 29, 2020 at 06:21PM
https://ift.tt/3kElr7P
NY: New Hylan Blvd. bus lane extension already helping riders, city says - MassTransitMag.com
"bus" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2rp2JL3
https://ift.tt/3aT1Mvb
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "NY: New Hylan Blvd. bus lane extension already helping riders, city says - MassTransitMag.com"
Post a Comment