The Truth About the Queens Bus Redesign

Having used so many Queens bus routes, and with the final plan being out, I decided to read it and give my own thoughts about the plan.
Also thanks to Justin Wang for some of the bus pictures in this video!
Queens Bus Redesign Plan
new.mta.info/p...
platform.remix...
Comment About the Plan
contact.mta.in...
7 Train Project Petition
www.change.org...
7 Train Project Details
www.vanshnooke...
Queenslink Video
• Why NYC Needs to Choos...

[@marcitos_9329]

Should have gotten a South Bronx/Queens connector via the Triborough. A Mott Haven to Queens Plaza would be a good start.

[@qjtvaddict]

So extend bx41sbs

[@jadenmuniz8817]

Doesn’t the Q44 and Q50 connect via the Triboro?

[@gello010]

@@jadenmuniz8817pretty sure

[@xaweg47]

As someone who lives in southeast Queens, there is one problem that really stands out to me. The Q2 and Q110 come near me, and both go to their respective trains, but the Q110 is being changed to serve elsewhere. This eliminates my access, as well as the access of many other residents of my area to Jamaica Center, which is a MASSIVE issue considering that many people from my area commute with the (E) train. An added transfer normally wouldn't be too bad, but considering that one small incident can destroy your commute...

[@TheRailLeaguer]

The Q2 will go to the Jamaica-179th Street and the 165th Street Bus Terminal is not that far away from Jamaica Center, so it shouldn’t be a big issue. Besides, Jamaica Avenue ridership to Belmont Park is pretty low.

[@luislaplume8261]

In my old hometown of NYC 2 mayors eliminated trolley lines that offered a smooth ride and some had their own right of way. They were in favor of buses and considered trolleys to be old fashioned but the trolleys did not slide on ice and gave no fumes.

[@kyledabandit6836]

FINALLY!!! Someone shares my gripe with the garbage frequencies on the Q52/53 SBS, they are annoying after 9pm

[@williamerazo3921]

It’s because it’s 9pm.

[@blade00000009Windows]

@@williamerazo3921exactly! They better hope they dont have to work an afternoon shift for too long or else they’re gonna wait almost 20-30 minutes for a bus for the rest of their life! they’re all fools wanting to go home at such an ungodly hour! Should be home before dark! they should buy a car if they want to get anywhere after 9pm in the biggest city in united states

[@Neville60001]

@@williamerazo3921, buses should _not_ have crappy services late at night.

[@electro_sykes]

​@@Neville60001 There is a good reason for the limited frequency of late-night bus & subway service. Limiting late-night service reduces crime, violence & homelessness, as it makes it harder for drug dealers, gangstas, criminals, rappers, young thugs & the homeless from violently roaming around the streets & doing drugs or blasting rap music & hosting a fight club in a dodgy laneway at night, which is putting local neighbourhoods in danger. It is simply a security thing.

[@Atrail_Mckinley4786]

​@Neville60001 most people aren't traveling late at night though

[@queensmum]

I rely on the little local buses a lot. I see in the current plan it would still take 3 bus transfers to get to Flushing from where we live. Right now it takes over an hour transit (bus or train) to get there when it's about a 20 min drive, which is a bit ridiculous. I'm still hoping for an easier way to visit the Bronx too, and better service to Brooklyn. Like I want to visit family and friends in those boroughs but the transit is still super Manhattan focused.

[@samuelitooooo]

Agree with your overall message that MTA cannot put all their eggs in the basket that is buses, and need to stop being cowards about trains. Especially regional rail, where LIRR is a lot like Windows, stuck in the past, more than other MTA divisions, and where the Effective Transit Alliance provides some starter steps. (I'll make it Port Authority's business too, because AirTrain should be free. Charge drivers $8.50 instead of widening the Van Wyck.) Some concepts they did away with are various routes that combined two existing routes. Probably for reliability reasons, which is fair. But it's more of the same now, requiring multiple transfers to get across the borough. This means double fares. But also, off-peak frequencies will remain crap, so transfers will suck even if the transfer policy is updated. 3:31 Counterpoint: residences should be linked to businesses. Plus, this alignment connects residences on Horace Harding to LIRR at Queens Village, and brings access to said schools closer to SE Queens. And the Q30 will still be a thing in addition to the Q75. 4:49 The Q26 in Draft 2 is just today's Q27 Limited with a detour. That "express Q27" was carried over to the final plan as a Rush route. Current Q26 riders win either way because it's being tied into another route such that it'll no longer run only during rush hours. This is supposed to be a compromise to not having that north/south Q78 anymore. 5:04 You may want to check out a list of 25 top comments MTA addressed. It's kinda obscure, but a recent Streetsblog NYC article on the redesign makes it accessible. One of the top comments is that riders in Little Neck prefer the E and F trains. 5:34 A Q44 that long will be hell for bus drivers, if it isn't already hell for them as it is. And that's with busways on Main Street (Flushing) and Archer Ave; isn't there transit signal priority on the rest of Main Street as well? You'll notice that they cut back an extension to Fordham, which is something I would've loved to see. (I will add that they can slash 10 minutes off end-to-end runtimes by simply copying the Q50 path in Queens instead of running along Union Street. Also now is the right time for bus lanes on the Whitestone Bridge.)

[@electro_sykes]

Brisbane tried that and it has failed for us

[@FerdinandCesarano]

I'm pleased that they dropped the terrible idea of severing the Q53 from its connection to the Woodside LIRR station, an idea that was in previous versions of the plan. I'm also pleased to know that several stops on the Q56 will be removed. So many bus lines are hampered by having far too many stops.

[@cristianMoon24]

This was a great video 👍. I think it’s important to keep buses off of narrows streets the q23 can be super inconvenient because it gets stuck behind double parked cars and ambulances and police cars. Wood haven could definitely use a street cart or train.

[@luislaplume8261]

You mean light rail or trolley like in Philadelphia and San Francisco.

[@zacwoods]

As a resident by LGA, I could not be happier honestly.

[@DerrickTan74]

As a Q88 rider, I do like that it's staying on 73rd Avenue. On the other hand, I do not like that my regular stop is being removed and it's frequency isn't being changed (it says every 6 mins ideally but it's more like 8-45 mins irl).

[@mark4707]

As someone who has ridden the Q44 from the bx to jamaica, it is an extremely slow ride. It would be cool if the bus went to JFK but highly impractical and slow. The airtrain is pricy, but it is pretty fast at getting you to jamaica. It is about the same amount of time to get to jamaica from the bx via metro north and lirr as is the Q44. So more bus lanes seems to be the only solution in my experience

[@YotamAmit]

Yo tam amity’s are you okay with that one cause crazy stuff like this is not happening anymore 😊❤🎉 happy birthday 🎂

[@DemonQueen1975]

With the first redesign, the MTA also wanted to extend the Q10 to Jewel Avenue?! Those Queens Bus Redesigns were also very confusing with the retirement of some bus route numbers (like the Q41, Q112, and the Q8), bringing in new bus route numbers like the Q109, which replaced the Q41 and the Q57 and infuriating when it comes to bus routes that go through residential areas. One example is the Q37, which runs from South Ozone Park to Kew Gardens via 111th Street and goes to the casino at Aqueduct. As soon as I saw the redesigns for that particular route, I was livid because many stops in South Ozone Park were eliminated and wanted to send it to Lefferts Boulevard via Rockaway Boulevard (that's where the Q7 runs). I immediately gave feedback that this bus route should remain the way it is. I'm not so sure about the Q44 being extended to JFK. This would confuse many bus riders who are used to taking either the Q10 (Local and Limited), the Q7 and the Q3.

[@transitcaptain]

The Q44 to the airport is still a bad idea. People need to get to the airport fast and in a timely manner, and having ridden the Q44 several times, I think it would be over two hours from West Farms to the airport. it turns out bus lanes only help a little bit. I feel like the true solution is to get the Port Authority out of the rail business and have the MTA run the AirTrain.

[@Reformperson]

The Queens Buses have made themselves to serve the transit deserts in Queens. Buses in those areas that lead to Flushing get overcrowded and one thing needs to happen is to convert the PWB to Regional rail service as that is a small step to decongest the overcrowded buses on Queens, as well as the 7 train. In Southeast Queens it is overcrowded and the Woodhaven Riders needs QueensLink so that they don’t have to take a slow bus across Woodhaven Blvd to the Rockaways. The next thing of course would be areas east of Jamaica as it is congested with traffic and slow overcrowded buses. To improve that area the solution would be to extend the E Train to Rosedale Francis Lewis Blvd so that Riders can instant access to the LIRR and Nassau County would be within Walking Distance. For better service to JFK of course one step is QueensLink, as well as the Q44 SBS to access it, one thing is to have strict enforcement on the bus lanes on the corridors that that bus would be running on. The next thing would be to combine the B55 into the B35 SBS to JFK, as that should be included in the final plan in the Brooklyn Bus Redesign. We won’t have the B35 end at 1st Ave but at 36th St and 4th Ave so that riders can have access to the 36th St Station in the D, N and R lines as that can benefit Sunset Park Riders and Riders that use the West End, Sea Beach and Bay Ridge Lines as they can hop on the B35 SBS to JFK. Strict Bus Lane Enforcement should be on Major Bus Corridors such as Main St in Queens and Church Ave in Brooklyn as those are the proposed bus corridors going into JFK, Merrick Blvd would also be looked at as not only to make the Q44 SBS get to JFK Faster, but also to reduce the amount of cars as well.

[@sonicboy678]

The way I see it, a Church Avenue route to/from JFK should be an extension of the Howard Beach branch of the existing AirTrain instead of a bus. Naturally, it would head out to Sunset Park, but would continue past 4th Avenue in order to better serve Industry City.

[@Reformperson]

@@sonicboy678 with that you are basically carrying air and riders heading for Sunset Park go to the 36th St Station so you are better off ending the B35 SBS there, as you can have the B70 go past 4th Ave plus no one wants to pay the high Airtrain fare

[@CR1Creative]

​@@Reformperson You know we could potentially replace the LIE with a new subway running along a restored Hoarce Harding Blvd up to Springfield Blvd and eventually to Little Neck. Though I have a twist in this one. The new line will be four tracks. Two tracks, will be a branch of the Queens Blvd Line. However, it would be the other set of tracks, a branch of the Crosstown Line), that would begin service first. Starting at Bedford-Nostrand Avenue, this line would head east under Lafayette Avenue with a stop at Throop Avenue. From there, it would turn northeastward along DeKalb Avenue with stops at Broadway, Myrtle-Wilson Avenues, Wyckoff Avenues, and Seneca Avenues. After that, it would swing over to Flushing Avenue and make stops at Metropolitan Avenue and then Fresh Pond Road before it shifts briefly along Borden to 69th. After a brief stint along Caldwell Avenue, it would then stop at 80th Street before heading up via Eliot Avenue and Woodhaven Blvd to Queens Blvd. At Queens Blvd, it would then meet up with the two tracks from the Queens Blvd Line to form a four track line along the LIE/Hoarce Harding corridor with stations at strategic connection points with the bus network. Along this corridor, there would be an express station at Junction Blvd followed by local stations at 99th Street, 108th Street, (potentially) College Point Blvd, and then Main Street, followed by an express station at Kissena Blvd, serving Queens College. From there there would be local stations at 164th Street, Fresh Meadows Lane, and an express station at 188th Street. Following there are local stations at Francis Lewis Blvd, Oceania Street, and an express station at Springfield Blvd, near Queensborough Community College. This is where local service ends. Express service then continues East along the corridor, with a stop at Hampton Blvd, and from there the line rises on a two track concrete elevated structure a la Airtrain for the next stops at Douglaston Pkwy, Marathon Pkwy, and eventually the terminal at Little Neck Pkwy. The two branching tracks from the Queens Blvd Line would actually be dependent on the conversion of the Woodhaven Blvd station into an express station, something that is really, really needed (why this station wasn't built as an express station from the getgo is beyond me). Reportedly, this would involve rerouting the local tracks outward with the side platforms becoming the island platforms. This essentially should create some space for two tracks to diverge from both the local and express tracks to ramp downwards to a lower level and curve to the LIE Line. Ultimately, the LIE Line should be looked as a third priority corridor for Eastern Queens, though that Crosstown branch on Lafayette and DeKalb could start construction first to fill in a gap in the subway network since the Myrtle Avenue Elevated was torn down. As for eastern Queens, the first two extensions that should be done is the extension of the Flushing Line eastward along Northern Blvd to Bell Blvd and the Queens Blvd Line extension to Springfield Blvd as well as the (E) train extension along the LIRR Atlantic Branch to Francis Lewis Blvd in Rosedale (rather than Springfield Blvd in Laurelton in the original plans). These three extensions would help simplify service on the (7) route, increase capacity on the (E) route, and provide better coverage in Eastern Queens. With these three extensions, many bus routes would be realigned to no longer serve Flushing and Jamaica, but rather better connect Northeast and Southeast Queens. As for the other corridors like Union Turnpike, Hollis Avenue and Linden Blvd those corridors would be a later priority since they are a part of larger plans to replace elevated structures in Brooklyn and Queens.

[@PassengersUnited]

Great video and discussion on the issues

[@MagicMike-rd8mz]

Goodnight sir. That was a great video 📹 sir . The Queens redesign vol.3 still fall short . Due to the to the MTA unwise change to its Bus service. The new Q-51 will route was supposed to replace the Q-8 to Gateway Mall section. From Gateway to Cambria Heights. But instead the MTA decided to cut it off. At Rockaway Blvd A train. Now the Public will have to take the A train 🚉 or the Q-112 to Euclid ave. And then pay another car fare to the B-13. Why cut the Q-8 from Gateway Mall. Also the Q-68 was supposed to go to Astoria Queens to Williamsburg. But the MTA decided not to send it there now it's going to Elmhurst Hospital 🏥 instead with unreliable headwadys just like the the B-53 from Broadway Junction to Sunnyside. Mind you that the B-53 will replace the Part of B-24 B-46 and B-24 and part or B-32 it's ok during the week days now why is the MTA running it every 30 on weekends. The 68 isn't running 24 hours just like the B-57 Bus routes and rerouted. Also the MTA should've get into trouble about how they are operating the Q-52 S.B.S. that route should've running 24 hours and extended to Motta ave Far-Rockaway and running evey 8 -12 minutes during rush hours and like every 15 to 20 during off peak hours sir and weekends to sir

[@peskypigeonx]

I 100% do not believe that the Q58 is more used than the Bx12. No matter what amount of fare evasion is present in Queens, the sheer amount of it in the Bronx is too much to make an assumption that the Bx12 is less used than the Q58. Still, good to see that the MTA is improving it, and I hope it can get artics soon. -The Q44 does not need to go to JFK. The Fordham extension is needed much more due to how it randomly ends in West Farms and the potential connections you could get, so I’m angry that they cut that, but JFK is a stretch. I wouldn’t think many people in the Bronx would use that. Bus lanes are needed on the Q44, but you do not need to send it to JFK due to the limits of the bus, and the subway would probably be better in most cases.

[@Neville60001]

Why not replaces the standard buses sent to the airport with the MTA's crosstown coach buses?

[@peskypigeonx]

@@Neville60001 coach buses as in express buses? I’m confused what ‘crosstown coach buses’ are

[@zacwoods]

Things that are measurable arent arguable.

[@jadenmuniz8817]

My depot predictions: Q14 - MTA Bus route out of College Point Q45 - NYCT route out of Jamaica Q48 - NYCT route out of Queens Village Q51 - MTA Bus route out of Baisley Park Q61 - NYCT route out of Casey Stengel Q62 - NYCT route out of Casey Stengel Q63 - MTA Bus route out of College Point Q68 - NYCT route out of Grand Avenue Q75 - NYCT route out of Jamaica Q82 - NYCT route out of Queens Village Q86 - NYCT route out of Jamaica Q87 - NYCT route out of Jamaica Q98 - NYCT route out of Fresh Pond Q105 - MTA Bus route out of LaGuardia Q115 - MTA Bus route out of Baisley Park The Q26 & Q65 may also swap depots, thus resulting in swapping affiliations of the MTA RBO.

[@nickels4828]

Well done video, thank you

[@netscowbellguy]

The MTA should redraw the bus mapz from scratch, but NYers are always resistant to change & even walking a few blocks more.

[@Tausi]

Would you prefer if the Q52 was extended to Woodside with the Q53, in order to increase frequency there?

[@Sean8888TTP]

no.

[@EndoYuki-kj6hr]

Q50 needed on Roosevelt Av and 108 St Ditmars Blvd because there will no direct bus to Flushing and LGA. B57 Red Hook need to be kept. I agree some Q22 could go thru Nassau County to JFK Airport terminal 8 or 5 or federal circle.

[@amazing50000]

4:10 I try not to be that guy, but once again look at the communities that the Q52 & Q53 Select Bus Services serve, it's Southeast Queens neighborhoods (including The Rockaways) that are mostly Black & Brown folks. It's is one of the reasons why the Rockaway Beach branch is being considered to be turned into a park instead of what it really need to be turned into, which is a new subway line. Some of the people representing the Rego Park & Forest Hill area (majority white) will make sure that "those folks" in Southeastern Queens do not have easy access to their communities by transportation, and one way is convicting the MTA to make the Q52 & Q53 less reliable. You can't see a pattern here?

[@ddurlon]

I say this all the time also consider that the 53 gets better service and connections than the 52, even though the 52 goes to the denser part of rockaway and the 53 only goes to the whiter less dense way more nimby part lol

[@J.maineX]

They cut plan for the Q44 to go to Fordham why they take down

[@dominicanamariposa21]

Why not extend the E/J to 168 street ( again) ?!as for JFK airport we need a bronx connection towards that airport ( the closest airport to The Bronx residents is to LGA via the M60 at E 125 street

[@dhealy3154]

We got screwed on the B13 in Glendale queens

[@qjtvaddict]

If you replace Atlantic branch with the E without also taking over the entire far rockaway LIRR you are proposing a service cut that ruins service on Long Island and reduces capacity

[@jointransitassociation]

That is false if you triple track Montauk. Which is what the plan entails, aka, the 1978 feasibility study on the SE Queens Line.

[@RonGerstein-tf5tp]

When is this going to be fully implemented?????

[@RonGerstein]

My two bus routes, Q23 and Q38, will have their route truncated, and the Q23 will have 24-hour service.

[@johnmor3541]

Q50 still having 14minute headways during rush is sad.

[@moreawears]

They took the Q72 and did Jack about it except for like minus 1 minute in headways.

[@davidrivera9743]

Good: SE Queens to ststions OTHER than downtown Jamaica.

[@framework011]

i dont live in queens but i can definitely agree with the q44

[@ahmadfrw1]

The MTA is NOT extending the Q44 SBS to JFK Airport (this will be a 2 hour run time). They can simply transfer from the Q44 SBS to the AIRTRAIN at Sutphin and Archer. I agree with your Q89 (it could be the Q75 doing that instead of going to Briarwood). What the MTA needs to do is eliminate the mandatory transfer in Jamaica and Flushing (this will lead to Subway expansion). I would suggest the Q20 extend to JFK via Sutphin so that the Q6 RUSH can be a TRUE "EXPRESS" service. The Q52 needs to beef up service, and I am suggesting it extends to Woodside with the Q53 SBS (like the Draft plan had both routes to Jackson Heights). The Q52 needs to operate every 5 minutes at Peak Hours, every 8 minutes at Middays and Weekends, every 10 minutes at Evenings and every 20 minutes at Late Nights. The heavier Q53 SBS would operate every 5 to 6 minutes on Weekdays (between 5 AM and 10 PM) every 7 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays, every 8 minutes during Evenings and every 20 minutes during Late Nights. The Q11 would be needed every 10 minutes throughout the day on Weekdays and Weekends, every 12 minutes during Evenings and every 30 minutes at Late Nights. The IBX will call for another QUEENS BUS REDESIGN, just for the Eastern Queens connection as well as Bronx to IBX and Upper Manhattan to IBX connections.

[@MTATransitFanner324]

I thought why had the Brooklyn Bus Redesign. They never even planned it out and now we’re talking about the Queens Redesign, like why?! I have criticisms about the Brooklyn routes and I feel like they’re not announcing it again for 2024. However I’m very impressed with the new Queens route, but maybe they add a bus route from JFK Airport to Midtown Manhattan instead of making taking a train. The Queens buses should cut back service to Cedarhurst Peninsula Blvd on the Q111 due to low ridership.

[@Waltaere]

Tech transiiit 😃

[@jorgegaston5391]

Sorry, the Q44 to JFK is not happening. Q89 is not happening and Q26 to HHX isn’t happening. Q44: service to JFK is costly.

[@anthony3246]

Id rather see the q44 go to Fordham than JFK

[@durece100]

Buses aren't Trains for replacement.

[@tdadp]

I’m not a fan of it . The q101 need to continue to Manhattan in rush hour for the disabled like my self in a wheelchair I can’t afford to pay an extra fare needing a second transfer . It would take me 3 buses in stead of 2 to get me into manhattan .

[@ninofromkitchennightmares1497]

I dont want the q34 to get deleted Q20 gaps are shit still

[@MagicMike-rd8mz]

The Q-34 only runs during the week. That route lost it's 24 hour service during the old Queens Surface Day's. I remember when I was a child when it use to be the Q-25/34

[@queensmum]

I rely on the little local buses a lot. I see in the current plan it would still take 3 bus transfers to get to Flushing from where we live. Right now it takes over an hour transit (bus or train) to get there when it's about a 20 min drive, which is a bit ridiculous. I'm still hoping for an easier way to visit the Bronx too, and better service to Brooklyn. Like I want to visit family and friends or visit places in those boroughs but the transit is still super Manhattan focused.