Back to All

Here Comes the Bus: SBS on 1st and 2nd Avenues

Joe Barr, NYCDOT (L) and Ted Orosz (NYCT) present SBS plans for 1st and 2nd Avenues
Joe Barr, NYCDOT (L) and Ted Orosz (NYCT) present SBS plans for 1st and 2nd Avenues

At the January 2010 meeting of the NYCTRC, Ted Orosz, Director- Long Range Bus Planning and Joe Barr of NYCDOT gave a presentation on the plans for Select Bus Service (SBS) along 1st and 2nd Avenues in Manhattan.  This initiative will be similar to the first SBS service now running along Fordham Road in the Bronx (Bx12).  The proposed route, 125th Street to South Ferry in Lower Manhattan,  would feature a dedicated lane, limited stops and off-board ticketing.

The Council expressed a number of concerns, particularly about the potential conflict with construction from work on the 2nd Avenue Subway (96th Street to 67th Street)   Currently traffic moves very slowly in that area and adding SBS here would only compound the problems.  Mr. Orosz indicated that there would be no SBS stops on that section until the construction activity on the street was completed.  Other questioners asked about the conflict with the 59th Street Bridge traffic, how pedestrians would be accommodated and how deliveries would be handled.  Mr. Orosz and Mr. Barr indicated that there are on-going community hearings and that residents should attend and express their views.  Upcoming meetings are as follows:

Community Board 3 – February 10, 2010, 6:30 pm
University Settlement, Speyer Hall   184 Eldridge Street (between
Rivington & Delancey Streets)

Community Board 8 – February 25, 2010, 6:30 pm
NY Blood Center Auditorium, 310 East 67th Street (between First &
Second Avenues)