MTA Adds More Opportunities To Weigh In On Queens Bus Redesign

QUEENS, NY — The MTA on Friday announced a slate of new opportunities for Queens residents to weigh in on the transit authority's proposal to redesign the borough bus map.

The updated calendar includes new presentations and interactive workshops in Jamaica, Bayside, Whitestone and Floral Park, among other neighborhoods. MTA officials will also stop by community board meetings to brief members and attendees on the plan.

"Our citywide bus network redesign is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redraw each borough’s bus map to make it work better and for us to engage directly with our customers for their feedback on how to improve service," Craig Cipriano, acting MTA Bus Company president, said.

The MTA released a first draft of its redesign proposal on Dec. 31 and is now collecting feedback in a series of outreach sessions across Queens that the agency's planners say will inform a new draft of the plan, due to be released by this summer.

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Queens' bus routes are mostly unchanged since they were converted from old trolley lines at the turn of the 20th century or consolidated from private bus companies that started operating in the 1910s.

The redesign is meant to remedy declining bus ridership and slow bus speeds by cutting under-used bus stops and combining redundant routes, according to MTA officials.

Critics, including all 15 City Council members representing Queens, have panned the MTA's current draft as reducing bus service rather than improving it.

Yet many of the borough's elected officials say they're not against a redesign — they're just against this particular redesign, and they want the MTA to take their constituents' feedback into consideration for the next draft.

"All of us Queens residents must provide as much feedback and opinions as possible so that we can work together with the MTA to find the best final plan imaginable," City Council Member Bob Holden said.

Check out the MTA's proposal here. Commuters may also submit feedback on the plan using this online form or these interactive maps of the new bus routes.

Here is the full (updated) list of the MTA's outreach sessions and public workshops:

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m. (presentation with U.S. Rep. Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez)
American Legion Hall
89-02 91st Street, Woodhaven

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 2 transportation committee
Sunnyside Community Services
43-31 39th Avenue, Sunnyside

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 6-8 p.m. (MTA public workshop)
Jacob Riis Settlement
10-25 41st Avenue, Long Island City

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (MTA public workshop)
RISE/Rockaway Waterfront Alliance
58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway

Thursday, Feb. 6, 7-8:30 p.m. (Community Conversation)
Rockaway YMCA
207 Beach 73rd Street, Arverne

Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6-8 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 12 transportation committee
York College, Faculty Dining Room
94-20 Guy R Brewer Boulevard, Jamaica

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 6
Kew Gardens Community Center
80-02 Kew Gardens Road #202, Kew Gardens

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (presentation)
P.S./I.S. 49
63-60 80th Street, Middle Village

Thursday, Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 1 transportation committee
45-02 Ditmars Boulevard, LL suite 1025, Astoria

Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 13 transportation committee
Jean Nuzzi I.S. 109
213-10 92nd Avenue, Queens Village

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (presentation)
Queens College
65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing

Thursday, Feb. 20, 7-8:30 p.m. (MTA public workshop)
Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York
203-05 32nd Avenue, Bayside

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 5 transportation committee
Christ The King School
68-02 Metropolitan Avenue, Middle Village

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 14 transportation committee
Knights of Columbus
333 Beach 90th Street, Rockaway Beach

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 7 transportation committee
Union Plaza Care Center
33-23 Union Street, Flushing

Thursday, Feb. 27, 7-8:30 p.m. (MTA public workshop)
Cross Island YMCA
238-10 Hillside Avenue, Bellerose

Wednesday, March 4, 6-8 p.m. (presentation)
Elmhurst Hospital
79-01 Broadway, Elmhurst

Thursday, March 5, 7-8:30 p.m. (presentation)
Poppenhusen Institute
114-4 14th Road, College Point

Thursday, March 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (workshop)
August Martin High School
156-10 Baisley Boulevard, Jamaica

Tuesday, March 16, 7-8:30 p.m. (presentation)
Queens Community Board 8 transportation committee
Hillcrest Jewish Center
183-02 Union Turnpike, Flushing

Wednesday, March 18, 7-8:30 p.m. (presentation)
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church of Whitestone
12-01 150th Street, Whitestone

Thursday, March 19, 7-8:30 p.m. (presentation)
North Shore Towers
272-48 Grand Central Parkway, Floral Park