Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Buses

125th Street Riders: Bus Lanes Should Go All the Way to Morningside

None of the bus riders Streetsblog interviewed this afternoon were happy with the city's decision to shorten its plan for bus lanes on 125th Street. Photo: Stephen Miller

Yesterday we reported that State Senator Bill Perkins' office has finally expressed satisfaction with the 125th Street bus improvement project, now that DOT has watered it down by shortening the dedicated bus lanes. Previously,  Perkins had called on the city to "slow down" the plan to bring Select Bus Service to 125th Street due to what he claimed was insufficient community input, even though DOT and the MTA had been holding public workshops since last September. Streetsblog hit the streets yesterday afternoon to see what bus riders on 125th Street had to say about the situation.

None of the riders I talked to over the course of 45 minutes had heard about the plan to bring bus lanes to 125th Street, nor had they heard of Perkins' "emergency" town hall meeting last week. They were all disappointed that, under pressure from Perkins, the city had decided to shorten the bus lanes by half, ending at Lenox Avenue instead of Morningside Avenue.

"I think they should go to Morningside," Margaret Fernandez said while waiting for the bus at St. Nicholas Avenue.

Other bus riders agreed. "You need it all the way over," Disney Aaron said. "It'd be better for people, man. Better for traffic, too."

A major feature of the camera-enforced bus lanes is that they would cut down on illegal double-parking, which slows down buses stuck in traffic. Streetsblog spotted an NYPD officer ticketing a delivery truck that had parked in a bus stop on 125th Street at Frederick Douglass Boulevard. "It's mostly double-parking. There's plenty of it," she said. "It causes so much traffic."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday’s Headlines: Post Thanksgiving Edition

We're going to take Black Friday off, but here are a few headlines to keep you going.

November 29, 2024

Sound Vision: Two Broadway Blocks To Get Permanent Upgrades

"We’re really looking to create a premier public space," said the DOT's Public Realm Unit acting lead. All right then!

November 27, 2024

Wednesday’s Headlines: Our Big Mack Attack Edition

Who knew that our little story about MTA Board member David Mack's illegal parking and placard abuse would generate so much heat? Plus other news.

November 27, 2024

Pedestrian Struck and Injured in Queens by an NYPD Traffic Agent: Cops

Police officials said that one of their traffic agents struck and injured a pedestrian in Jackson Heights on Monday night, and was not arrested.

November 26, 2024
See all posts