NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Transit officials are promising better bus service.
The MTA and Department of Transportation on Monday outlined five projects aimed at making city buses faster, more accessible and more reliable. Plans include the rollout of more automated bus lane enforcement and new dedicated busways.
Several of the projects were long delayed due to the pandemic, as car ownership soared in the city. Acting MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber framed the improvements as a way to bring more riders back to the bus while also delivering equity, since city bus riders are more often lower-income and people of color.
“The city needs a strong transit system more than ever to help lead our recovery from the pandemic — we all know that,” Lieber said at a news conference in the Bronx.
Bus Lanes and Busways
The agencies pledged to “add or improve” 20 miles of bus lanes — including the rollout of five new busway pilots similar to those on 14th Street and 181st Street starting next year. Those two busways have increased bus speeds by 34 percent and 36 percent, respectively, according to the MTA.
“We need to replicate those kinds of advances all over the city,” said Lieber, who promised a “dramatic upgrade in the collaboration” between the two agencies to deliver improvements.
Despite the success of dedicated busways, the city has failed to deliver them on time when facing backlash from residents. Plans for an Archer Avenue and Fifth Avenue busway are months behind schedule.
It's not clear if new busways will be rolled out any quicker. DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman defended the slow pace, saying the city was trying to allow space for community feedback.
“We have to hear people respectfully; we have to consider their concerns and objections and then try to do in the end what’s right for the people of that community...and it takes time, but it’s time well spent,” Gutman said.
Automated enforcement
The agencies plan to dramatically increase the number of enforcement cameras to catch drivers blocking bus lanes.
The MTA currently has about 123 bus-mounted cameras, that number will increase by 300 over next year and by another 600 cameras in 2023.
By the end of 2023, 83 percent of all bus lanes will be enforced with cameras.
Bus Network Redesigns
The MTA and DOT will revive their plans to redesign each borough’s bus networks, which officials say are outdated and no longer reflect the travel patterns of New Yorkers. Officials will start this fall by planning a new local network in the Bronx, with new routes to be rolled out next summer.
All-door bus boarding
One reason buses are so delayed is because of the long lines of riders waiting to pay at the front door at each stop, according to officials.
The MTA will allow riders to use its OMNY payment model to board both front and back doors on each bus by the end of 2023, speeding up the time buses spend at stops. This policy will begin with a pilot on 10 routes, which haven’t yet been announced.
Transit Signal Priority
Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is a wonky but efficient way of improving bus speeds. TSP is a technology that allows traffic lights and approaching buses to communicate with each other. TSP can hold green lights for approaching buses or speed up a red light cycle to keep riders from getting stuck at intersections.
Next year, the city will add TSP to another 750 intersections, up from the roughly 1,000 intersections that currently have the tech activated.