Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro

Staten Island, New York

B.P. Molinaro to DOT and MTA: "We Don't Need Fancy Buses - We Just Need More Buses"

Calls Public Meeting on Bus Rapid Transit on Hylan Blvd “An Exercise in Frustration”  

Calls Public Meeting on Bus Rapid Transit on Hylan Blvd. "An Exercise in Frustration"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro today 
said last night’s DOT/MTA public meeting regarding proposed Bus Rapid Transit on Hylan Boulevard was a waste of the community’s time.

“For the residents who attended last night, the proposal was an exercise in frustration and not productive at all,” Molinaro said of the meeting held at The Renaissance in Grant City, where the agencies presented ideas to the community regarding the joint DOT/MTA Hylan Boulevard Tranportation Improvement Study.    

Part of the proposal for the Bus Rapid Transit is to create a dedicated bus lane on both sides of traffic on Hylan Boulevard.

“This is ironic because my office first proposed creating a parking-free zone on Hylan Boulevard during rush hour for buses to travel more easily,” said Molinaro. “The agencies involved fought us bitterly at the time, but now that they see this works, they are trying to put yet another separate bus line in this under-serviced lane. A line, by the way, that would likely require a separate payment system and new schedule.”  

The agencies also proposed an advance-signaling system where buses would turn in front of cars right before the intersection, forcing cars to stop well before the intersection in mid-block to allow buses room to pull away from the curb. 

“This would wreck traffic flow on Hylan Boulevard,” said Molinaro. “Why on earth would more traffic signals be necessary if the lane is already dedicated for bus use?  More traffic lights are not the answer.”

June 9, 2011