New bus redesign plan revealed by MTA; routes shortened
BY ALEX MITCHELL
The Metropolitan Transportation
Authority released the preliminary
draft of the Bronx bus network’s
proposed redesign earlier
in June.
Before the MTA impements the
many service changes, cuts, and
route alterations in October, it’s
holding a series of public scoping
meetings about the plan throughout
the summer, starting at the Fort
Independence Community Center
at 3350 Bailey Avenue, which was
held on Tuesday, June 11.
It was there that Bronx commuters
learned for the fi rst time
the fate of the 27 Bronx bus routes,
including four lines with proposed
frequency increases.
If approved, changes will be
coming to the Bx4A, Bx6, Bx8, Bx11,
Bx15, Bx18, Bx24, Bx26, Bx28, Bx29,
Bx30, Bx34, Bx35, Bx36, Bx38, Bx40,
Bx42, Q50 LTD, M100, M125, BxM2,
BxM4, BxM5 (formerly BxM11),
BxM8, BxM10, BxM17, and BxM18
lines, and additional buses on the
Bx13, Bx22, Bx23, and Bx41.
Specifi cally, the route changes
and redrafts are aimed at making
service more direct by shortening
many routes and using connecting
busses, according to an MTA offi -
cial.
For instance, in the Throggs
Neck and Country Club, the Bx8
bus will no longer service commuters
south of Layton Avenue as
part of the MTA’s route shortening
plan.
Instead,that waterfront east
Bronx community will be part of
the Bx24 route, originating at Waters
Place, taking a more direct
path, along Stadium and Dean avenues,
losing its serpentine travel
through a dozen side streets in
Country Club due to what the MTA
described as very little ridership.
Otherwise the route remains essentially
the same.
Co-op City is targeted for one
of the largest overhauls if the proposal
remains as is.
The Bx28 bus line will be shortened
by cutting out its Asch Loop
portion, and terminate at the Mall
at Bay Plaza. In addition, it will no
longer service Mosholu Parkway
and Paul Avenue at its current
western en.
The plan would also entirely
eliminate the Bx38 which now
runs from Norwood to Co-op City,
due to the Bx28’s planned service
increase for the north Bronx.
Under the plan all sections of
Co-op City will now be serviced
exclusively by the Bx23 circulator
bus, which will have increased frequency
as part of the MTA’s plan.
Councilman Andy King joined
Co-op City residents on Thursday,
June 6 to express concerns about
the new proposal.
“Who is this (plan) for? The
MTA or the riders of Co-op City,”
the councilman said when he questioned
why only the Bx23 would
wrap around the complex and why
more scoping wasn’t done with the
residents prior to the draft’s release.
According to an MTA representative,
Co-op City residents’ most
frequent complaint with bus service
is extensive waiting times,
which the shortened routes will
rectify.
The Bx 26, Bx 28 and the Bx 30
will connect with the Bx 23 to take
Co-op City travelers to the Allerton,
Gun Hill and Dyre avenue
train stations. The MTA is trying
to eliminate Co-op City’s two-fare
zone dilemmawhich occurs when a
resident takes two buses to any one
of the nearby train stations.
In the MTA plan, Co-op City regains
express bus service to Wall
Street, the BxM17.
The line would run down the
Hutchinson River Parkway, over
the Whitestone Bridge and enter
Manhattan through the Queens
Midtown Tunnel, terminating
in lower Manhattan at Water
Street.
Also the Bx 29 that services
City Island will terminate at Pelham
Bay Station instaed of the
Mall at Bay Plaza.
The next scoping session for
the MTA bus redesign will be on
Monday, June 17 with Community
Board 12 at 4101 White Plains
Road.
After that the meetings will
be on: Tuesday, June 18 at 1994
Bruckner Boulevard, Wednesday,
June 19 at 3040 Roberts Avenue,
Monday, June 24 at 2501 Jerome
Avenue, Tuesday, June 25 at 2038
Davidson Avenue, and Thursday,
June 27 at 2049 Bartow Avenue.
For an entire list of proposed
service changes, visit new.mta.
info/bronxbusredesign.
www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY June 16, 2019 2
Noel Ellison (c), Riverbay Corporation general manager, voiced his and residents’
concerns regarding the proposed Bronx Bus Redesign affecting Co-op City, as
Councilman King (l) listens. Photo by Jewel Webber
/www.BXTimes.com