SE Queens leaders come out against DOT’s
proposed busways in downtown Jamaica
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | SEPT. 24 - SEPT. 30, 2021 9
BY BILL PARRY
The city is moving forward
with its plans to bring two new
busways through downtown
Jamaica despite objections from
southeast Queens elected officials.
The opposition to the pilot
projects on Archer Avenue and
Jamaica Avenue comes after
months of conversation with
the Department of Transportation
on the nearby Merrick
Boulevard bus lane that leaders
rallied against for the accelerated
implementation timeline,
a lack of safeguards against derelict
vehicles stored along the
corridor, and the 24-hour lane
enforcement, asking instead for
rush-hour only within the lowdensity,
transit desert residential
community.
Councilman I. Daneek Miller
said the community has waited
“a long time” for transit investment
in southeast Queens,
and that the “lack of engagement
and outreach” by the DOT
has been “disappointing.”
“Given the poor track record
of implementation with
the nearby Merrick Boulevard
Bus Lane, this is something I
cannot in good conscience support.
These two projects, if done
incorrectly, threaten the progress
we’ve been able to achieve
in revitalizing the heart of our
commercial district in downtown
Jamaica these past several
years,” Miller said. “We
are unequivocally saying that
we have lost confidence in DOT
under the current administration,
and we are calling on them
to postpone any further projects
in southeast Queens until they
can truly address the transit
and transportation needs of this
community, which we suspect
won’t be until the next administration.”
State Senator James Sanders
and Assemblywoman Alicia
Hyndman objected to the
busway pilots on Jamaica and
Archer Avenues, saying the
DOT should “slow down and
do it right” instead of starting
the implementation during the
same week that public schools
return to in-person learning.
“DOT has also failed to address
many outstanding issues
such as poor street lighting, illfitted
two-way streets in dire
need of one-way conversion and
washed out or missing street
signs throughout our districts,”
said Councilwoman Adrienne
Adams, adding that they will
stand against the “ill-advised”
program until the DOT addresses
the community’s concerns.
The leaders said DOT had reluctantly
agreed to modify the
24/7 enforcement along the Merrick
Avenue busway, proposing
a 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. enforcement
period instead.
“DOT has done little to resolve
persistent quality-of-life issues
on that corridor, and have
ignored our request for rushhour
only enforcement even
as small businesses and local
residents suffer,” state Senator
Leroy Comrie said. “Southeast
Queens needs transit improvements
but it cannot be done
without the confidence and support
of local residents.”
The DOT said it is moving
forward with the busways following
extensive outreach in
response to the elected officials
and community stakeholders.
“Keeping New Yorkers moving
is essential to getting our
friends and neighbors back to
work as New York City’s recovery
continues,” DOT spokesman
Brian Zumhagen said. “The Archer
Avenue busway and Jamaica
Avenue busway will speed
the commutes of 250,000 daily
bus riders through downtown
Jamaica. Faster buses increase
ridership, reduce congestion
and help us cut the emissions
driving climate change.”
Read more on QNS.com.
Southeast Queens elected officiasl are imploring the DOT to get
the Merrick Boulevard busway right, before moving forward on two
more busways through downtown Jamaica. Photo by Todd Maisel
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