Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bill Perkins

The Bill Perkins Flip-Flop on Better Bus Service for 125th Street

Well, this takes a lot of chutzpah. After blocking measures that would have sped bus trips for tens of thousands of people on 125th Street every day, State Senator Bill Perkins now claims he supports Select Bus Service.

Following the initial workshops and public meetings for 125th Street SBS held by NYC DOT and the MTA, which began last September, Perkins' office served as the umbrella for various groups that opposed changes to enable buses to move faster. He sent a letter to DOT, ostensibly to complain about process, which said that "feedback" about existing SBS routes “indicated dissatisfaction and even failure." In May, when DOT and the MTA announced they would scale back the bus lanes, left-turn restrictions, and parking meters in the plan, Perkins' office said, "We are definitely pleased."

When the news broke yesterday that DOT and the MTA would scrap the whole 125th Street SBS route, we checked in with Perkins' office. We have yet to hear back.

But the state senator did talk to the New York World:

In a phone conversation on Tuesday afternoon, Perkins said that the community welcomes Select Bus Service, but that he opposes the way in which it was handled.

“We are unequivocally in support of SBS bus service,” Perkins said. “And we are looking forward to SBS service coming across 125th Street.

“This is not the Bill Perkins show of trying to stop something,” he continued, “quite the opposite.”

To recap, Perkins insisted on a "process" that elevated opponents of proven measures to speed up bus trips. He proposed no alternatives to the DOT/MTA plan. Then when the project died, he said he unequivocally supports Select Bus Service.

If you believe that, there's a bus lane in Harlem I'd like to sell you.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Anti-Miracle On 34th Street: Adams Administration Pauses Work On 34th Street Busway

The highly-anticipated 34th Street busway may not happen under Mayor Adams after all, sources said.

July 3, 2025

Manhattan DA Says Alleged Central Park Hit-and-Run Cyclist Didn’t Flee, Drops Charges

Prosecutors said the 30-year-old cyclist "remained on the scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics to arrive to treat the injured person."

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025

Ex-DOT Official Warns NYC’s ‘Counterproductive’ E-bike Speed Limit Will Curb Biking, Safety

The mayor is working overtime to undo the decade of gains for cycling in the Big Apple, a former de Blasio administration official told Streetsblog.

July 3, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Just the News Edition

Things are slowing down for summer, but not entirely. Here's the news.

July 3, 2025

DOT Boss Defends Adams’s ‘Vision Zero’ Record As Agency Fights A Bike Lane in Court

Traffic fatalities are down and the DOT is taking a victory lap — even as it argues against a protected bike lane in court.

July 2, 2025
See all posts