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Southbound Q59 Rerouted In Brooklyn

Posted by
on July 31st, 2009 at 3:57 pm

Continuing with the updates, MTA NYC Transit announced that starting in August, the southbound Q59 will be rerouted in Brooklyn due to the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) converting Kent Avenue in from a two-way to a one-way northbound street. Here are the complete details courtesy of MTA NYC Transit:

As New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) intends to convert Kent Avenue in Brooklyn from a two-way to a one-way northbound street, MTA NYC Transit will reroute the southbound Q59 bus from Kent Avenue to Wythe Avenue. The date for implementation of this change is August 2009. The northbound route will remain unchanged.

The Q59 currently operates along Kent Avenue in both directions between Grand Street and Broadway in Williamsburg. NYCDOT is planning to convert Kent Avenue to a one-way northbound operation as part of the restructuring of the Kent Avenue bicycle lanes.

In order to accommodate this change, NYC Transit will move the southbound route one block east of Kent Avenue to Wythe Avenue – a street which is partly residential and partly industrial. The choice of Wythe Avenue will keep the Q59 bus route as close to development on the Brooklyn waterfront as possible.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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B61 Split Into Two Routes

Posted by
on July 31st, 2009 at 3:49 pm

I apologize for the lack of updates recently as I have been extremely busy with business. However let me catch up on a few notes sent to me by the MTA. The first is to note that starting in January 2010, the B61 will be split into two routes. The new routes will be the B61 & B62. Here are the complete details courtesy of MTA NYC Transit:

In order to improve service reliability, the B61 bus route will be divided into two shorter routes – the B61 and B62, MTA NYC Transit announced today. Currently, the B61 route is 9.7 miles long, linking Brooklyn’s Red Hook section with Queens Plaza. The route is subject to delays due to traffic congestion, especially in the area of Downtown Brooklyn. The B61 serves approximately 18,500 customers on weekdays, 10,800 on Saturdays and 7,400 on Sundays.

“In responding to feedback from customers and community organizations who have long complained about the unreliability of B61 service, we are breaking up one long, cumbersome route into two that will be more manageable, both of which will be more reliable than the single route that exists today,” said NYC Transit President Howard H. Roberts, Jr.

The southern B61 route will travel between the Ikea Terminal in Red Hook and Downtown Brooklyn (Smith Street and Livingston Street). The northern B62 route will travel between Downtown Brooklyn (Boerum Place and Livingston Street) and Queens Plaza and will be rerouted past the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza Bus Terminal. Taking the route past the bus terminal will allow a Transit dispatcher to monitor the route, thus increasing reliability and providing more convenient road reliefs for bus operators.

“We recognize that there are rapidly growing new residential areas along the Williamsburg waterfront,” added Roberts. “The B62 will also provide convenient bus and subway connections for these customers to the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza transit hub which is served by six bus routes and the Marcy Avenue JMZ subway station.” Implementation is planned for January 2010.

I have never personally ridden the B61 but know many who have. While the route is extremely useful, it frustrates those who depend on it mainly due to the traffic issues it faces on a daily basis. I think splitting the route into two is an excellent idea & I applaud the MTA for finding a way to more than likely improve service.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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MTA Releases 2010 Preliminary Budget & Financial Plan

Posted by
on July 29th, 2009 at 1:39 pm

Earlier today, the MTA released its 2010 Preliminary Plan & 4 year proposed Financial Plan. Here is a press release sent to me by the agency highlighting some key points:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today released its 2010 Preliminary Budget and proposed Four-Year Financial Plan for 2010-2013. The MTA Board will not consider a final budget until December, but the July plan allows for an extended period of public discussion about the MTA’s finances and budget proposals.

Some key aspects of the plan include:

• As promised to the Governor and Legislature, the 2010 budget includes no service cuts or fare increases.

• Projected cash balances of $29 million in 2009, $39 million in 2010 and $1 million in 2011. Manageable deficits are projected for 2012 and 2013.

• Significant spending restraints, building on the substantial expense reduction taken in 2009 to save $64 million in 2010. These savings grow to $279 million by 2013.
MTA Board Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger said: “We are grateful to Governor Paterson and the Legislature for their strong commitment to the transit system during this current economic downturn. Meeting the MTA’s fiduciary responsibilities while sparing our customers from the drastic and painful measures proposed earlier this year will help us keep to our mission of providing safe, dependable and affordable public transportation.”

MTA Interim Executive Director and CEO Helena E. Williams said: “Today’s presentation kicks off six months of public discussion before a final budget is approved in December. Engaging in a productive dialogue with our customers and stakeholders before a final plan is presented to the board assures maximum transparency throughout the entire process.”

The Financial Plan recognizes a continued falloff in real estate tax revenue and ridership as the sluggish economy continues to have a direct impact on the MTA’s bottom line. On the positive side, inflation is expected to remain very low in 2009.

The Financial Plan also includes the 2009 Mid-Year Forecast which reflects changes from the February 2009 Plan resulting from the passage of legislation to stabilize the MTA’s short-term finances. As discussed with the MTA’s funding partners in Albany, the Plan includes 7.5 percent fare increases in both 2011 and 2013.

The agency noted that the complete plan will be online within a few days. When it has been posted, I will read it & post some thoughts about it.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Subway Breakdowns Decline

Posted by
on July 28th, 2009 at 1:44 am

One of the biggest fears of subway riders is being on a train that breakdowns. Lets face it, time is of the essence when in New York City. Unfortunately for the last number of years, mechanical problems have led to one too many breakdowns in the NYC Subway. However the latest numbers show that breakdowns are on the decline which has led to an increase in the miles between such occurrences. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more in this report:

After more than two years of declines, trains, on average, traveled 185,000 miles between mechanical malfunctions in May, NYC Transit officials said. That’s a 39% jump over the previous May.

In June, the mileage trains traveled on average before mechanical problems was 31% greater than June 2008, the stats show.

The N line is the best in terms of train reliability; the A line is the worst.

Click here for the complete report.

This is good news for subway riders whose time is extremely valuable. While old school transit buffs might not be thrilled with the modernization of the system due to the fleet losing its uniqueness, even they understand it is for the better of riders. When it comes down to it, they are & will always be what matters most.

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Service Diversions 07-24

Posted by
on July 24th, 2009 at 2:45 am

I have just updated the service diversions page with the latest information for the weekend & upcoming week (beyond in some cases). Don’t forget to check in for any changes to the page. I also suggest printing out a copy of the page to use while riding the system. Have a safe & wonderful weekend!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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