Buses

Giving buses priority at traffic signals has improved speeds by an average of 18 percent on the five MTA routes where the technology is live, according to a new DOT report [PDF]. "Transit signal priority" (TSP) could reverse a citywide decline in bus speeds that has caused riders to abandon bus service in droves -- but only if DOT and the MTA apply it at scale.

The city has started work on its first BRT route, which could be the beginning of an 80-mile network.

By their nature, bus network redesigns create tradeoffs, so it's important that the improvements feel worth it for riders. And that, says Houston Metro board member Christof Spieler, requires having frank, in-depth conversations with transit riders, not just talking at them.

Dallas's winding, confusing bus routes are ripe for rethinking, and the City Council wants to act fast.

Portland officials are developing a plan for a network of "Enhanced Transit Corridors," carving out space in the street for buses so vehicles with 30 passengers aren't stuck in a quagmire of vehicles carrying just one.

The driver hit Mamoukakis while turning onto W. 29th Street, where buses are prohibited by city traffic rules. No charges have been filed by NYPD or Manhattan DA Cy Vance.

Staten Island's express buses are getting a complete overhaul, MTA officials and Borough President James Oddo announced yesterday. These changes will save people time by better aligning bus service with travel patterns -- and they could be a template for bus network improvements citywide.

I was recently in Boston talking to the Livable Streets Alliance about what they and their many local partners are doing to help speed up bus service. I happened to be in town during the two-week Silver Line Demo, a trial period during which riders can board the bus at all three doors, not just at the front.

The Long Island Railroad is building some of the biggest infrastructure projects in the region -- even the world. The hugely expensive East Side Access tunnel and terminal at Grand Central and the construction of a third track for the LIRR Main Line will open up new possibilities for convenient, all-day transit that people can use for all types of trips. But not if Long Island continues to operate its rail and bus networks as a two-tiered transit system.