12 NOVEMBER 11, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Heading in the right direction
When the city, on Oct. 29,
unveiled “the biggest bus
improvement project in New
York City history,” it was a sign that the
Department of Transportation seems to
be on the right track toward providing
the people of southeast Queens with
proper bus lanes that, in the words of
New York City Transit Interim President
Craig Cipriano, will “help thousands
of commuters across 26 routes get
where they need to go faster and more
effi ciently.”
According to the city, the new busways
on Jamaica and Archer avenues
in Jamaica will help to speed commutes
for approximately 250,000 riders a day
— more than any busway to date — and
also improve truck and delivery access
for local businesses.
The one-year pilot projects are part
of Mayor de Blasio’s Better Buses plan
to install new and improved bus lanes
across the city in 2021.
DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman
said, “this is a historic milestone in our
eff ort to improve bus service for all New
Yorkers.” But, as Cipriano added, the pilot
projects are of great signifi cance to the
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New York City Transit Interim President Craig Cipriano at the ribbon-cutting for the Jamaica busways.
Photo by Jenna Bagcal
Jamaica community, as Jamaica and Archer
avenues are “major arteries” that
were in need of dedicated bus lanes.
“We’re doing it here because this is
where it has the maximum impact,”
Gutman said.
And he’s right.
Jamaica and Archer avenues were
chosen due to their roles as hubs of
transit, education, business and culture.
With such a rich variety of places to go
and things to do in the vicinity of Jamaica
and Archer avenues, it only made sense
to test the mayor’s pilot projects here.
The Archer Avenue pilot is a physically
protected eastbound busway that
covers 150th Street to 160th Street. The
lanes are reserved for MTA and NICE
buses only, which have access to these
lanes 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Avenue
pilot begins at Sutphin Boulevard and
extends to 168th Street in both directions
and gives access to buses and commercial
trucks 24 hours a day, seven days a
week.
DOT also installed new curbside regulations
to allow parking, truck loading
and pedestrian space where old bus
lanes were removed.
Prior to beginning the pilot projects,
DOT held an “extensive community
outreach process,” which involved open
houses to gather feedback on the projects.
We understand that there is some
opposition to the bus lanes — aft er all,
they do take away parking spots from
drivers who may be heading to local
shops and eateries. But there are still
municipal lots available to park, and having
dedicated bus lanes will ultimately
help draw in more business to the two
thoroughfares.
Kudos to the DOT for implementing
the new bus lanes in southeast Queens.
It was about time.
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