CB9 votes down a plan to put a bus lane on Story Ave. and White Plains
Rd. Courtesy of DOT
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BY JASON COHEN
While the Department of
Transportation thinks installing
a bus lane on Story Ave. between
Bronx River and White
Plains Road will improve traffi
c, residents think it is a terrible
plan.
On May 20, Community
Board 9 discussed the DOT’s
proposal and not a single person
voted in favor of it. As the
congestion on the Bruckner
and the Bronx River is already
bad, most people think this
will only add fuel to the fi re.
With slow bus speeds, double
parking/loading and long
distances between pedestrian
crossings, the proposed project
aims to improve bus service
on Bx5, enhance eastwest
connections and support
future changes that would increase
bus frequency on the
corridor.
Board member Nicholas
Himidian did not bite his
tongue and questioned how
people who don’t live in the
borough can justify these
changes.
“This should be tabled,” he
exclaimed. “We should not allow
this to happen. It’s not going
to change anything here.”
As alternate side parking
spaces will be repurposed during
daytime bus lane hours and
preserved for overnight parking,
Himidian and other residents
think it would drastically
change the neighborhood.
Parking is already a challenge
in the Bronx and it seems
DOT want to make things even
more diffi cult, he said.
Furthermore, he demanded
more studies be done and in
person meetings be held.
“You (DOT) don’t know
what the hell you’re doing,” he
shouted. “You don’t live here.
The MTA and the DOT are full
of it. If the Bruckner is going
to take four years, this decision
should take four years.”
According to Himidian,
this would not take a place in
a wealthy community.
Fellow board member
Twywana Bush shared his
sentiments.
“I think it’s a horrible idea
and they need to shelf it,” she
stated. “I’m advocating for everyone
in this neighborhood
who needs to park.”
The plan calls for curbside
bus lanes on Story Ave. between
Bronx River Ave. and White
Plains Rd, a northbound left
side bus lane on Bronx River
Ave., updated curb regulations
on Story Ave. between Fteley
Ave and Croes Ave., and on
Story Ave. at Underhill, consolidated
bus stops between Bronx
River Ave. and White Plains
Rd. and curbside bus lanes on
White Plains Rd. between Story
Ave. and Lafayette.
Assistant District Manner
Shirley Alonzo explained that
DOT presented the plan to the
CB9 Public Safety and Transportation
Committee in April,
but it was tabled and the board
reached out to businesses and
residents on Story Ave. to see
how they felt about it.
“We’re more or less amenable
to the proposal, but the
traffi c pattern to the Bronx
River needs to be addressed
before this is approved,” she
said. “It’s kind of hard to
fathom how the bus service
will increase. Once the bus
service gets down to the Bronx
River they get stockpiled.”
Alonso will be sending the
DOT a letter telling them the
board disapproved of the plan
and the conditions they want
to see addressed.
However, DOT has plans
to implement this project this
summer.
CB 9 votes bus lane on
Story Ave. down
36 BRONX TIMES REPORTER, JUNE 4-10, 2021 BTR
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