Comments on: Quick Bus and Ped Improvements Coming to Lower Broadway http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:44:44 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Ian D http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29814 Ian D Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:27:40 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29814 If you want all the details - and to participate in discussion/advocacy - this (along with Houston St.-corridor bike lanes) is on the agenda for the CB2 Transportation Committee tomorrow. Tuesday, Mar. 13, 6:30pm NYU Silver Building, 32 Waverly Pl., rm. 411 If you want all the details - and to participate in discussion/advocacy - this (along with Houston St.-corridor bike lanes) is on the agenda for the CB2 Transportation Committee tomorrow.

Tuesday, Mar. 13, 6:30pm
NYU Silver Building, 32 Waverly Pl., rm. 411

]]> By: P http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29811 P Mon, 12 Mar 2007 19:39:11 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29811 Does anyone have a drawing of how this works- to me it just sounds like we're losing a lane. Buses will still have to wait on right turning cars, no? Does anyone have a drawing of how this works- to me it just sounds like we're losing a lane. Buses will still have to wait on right turning cars, no?

]]> By: BusGirl http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29810 BusGirl Mon, 12 Mar 2007 19:25:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29810 Having a bus lane one lane inside the curb allows for cars & trucks to make curb side stops and deliveries, as well as parking, without blocking the bus lane. with the bulb out, the bus doesn't have to pull to the curb or back out into traffic, saving time. Enforcement of the bus lane is always a problem, but hopefully being away from the curb lane will help. Having a bus lane one lane inside the curb allows for cars & trucks to make curb side stops and deliveries, as well as parking, without blocking the bus lane. with the bulb out, the bus doesn't have to pull to the curb or back out into traffic, saving time.

Enforcement of the bus lane is always a problem, but hopefully being away from the curb lane will help.

]]> By: crzwdjk http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29808 crzwdjk Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:59:43 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29808 The bus lane also ends up being used for cars waiting to make a right turn across busy crosswalks, notably at Broadway/Houston, which is a mess of an intersection no matter how you look at it. In that particular case, yes, it would make sense to move buses over one lane and reserve the right lane for turning cars at that location and put in a bus bulb at Broadway/Bleecker. And it might make sense to build bus bulbs instead of bus lanes, because traffic is pretty heavy even outside of peak hours, and they want to be able to keep at least some curbside parking on Broadway. Plus, if done right, this plan can be used to extend sidewalks at intersections and reduce pedestrian crowding at spots like Broadway/Prince. The bus lane also ends up being used for cars waiting to make a right turn across busy crosswalks, notably at Broadway/Houston, which is a mess of an intersection no matter how you look at it. In that particular case, yes, it would make sense to move buses over one lane and reserve the right lane for turning cars at that location and put in a bus bulb at Broadway/Bleecker. And it might make sense to build bus bulbs instead of bus lanes, because traffic is pretty heavy even outside of peak hours, and they want to be able to keep at least some curbside parking on Broadway. Plus, if done right, this plan can be used to extend sidewalks at intersections and reduce pedestrian crowding at spots like Broadway/Prince.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29806 Glenn Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:22:10 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29806 It's not that the lane ends, it's that cars block it anyway while picking up or dropping off (PO/DO). You still need to provide some curbside access for PO/DO and deliveries. The current bus lanes are not well enforced and don't provide a safety valve for some essential curbside access. As someone who recently was on crutches, sometimes anything other than door-to-door deliver is not workable. We need to accept that some curbside access is essential instead of every available parking spot going to long term free parking. It's not that the lane ends, it's that cars block it anyway while picking up or dropping off (PO/DO). You still need to provide some curbside access for PO/DO and deliveries. The current bus lanes are not well enforced and don't provide a safety valve for some essential curbside access. As someone who recently was on crutches, sometimes anything other than door-to-door deliver is not workable. We need to accept that some curbside access is essential instead of every available parking spot going to long term free parking.

]]> By: digamma http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29804 digamma Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:16:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29804 I don't quite understand it either.... I would guess that bus lanes end too often and then the buses have to merge back into the rest of traffic, which slows them down. I don't quite understand it either.... I would guess that bus lanes end too often and then the buses have to merge back into the rest of traffic, which slows them down.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29801 Glenn Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:51:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29801 The problem with the bus lane is that it is not enforced (perhaps the cameras would make a big difference). The bulbouts would force cars into a narrower space, specifically at heavy intersections, but still provide a curbside space for pick-ups and drop-offs, which now all occur in the bus lane. I would make the spaces between bus bulbs short-term, pick-up and drop off only or for deliveries. This would reduce double parking in the lane the bus would now use. The problem with the bus lane is that it is not enforced (perhaps the cameras would make a big difference). The bulbouts would force cars into a narrower space, specifically at heavy intersections, but still provide a curbside space for pick-ups and drop-offs, which now all occur in the bus lane. I would make the spaces between bus bulbs short-term, pick-up and drop off only or for deliveries. This would reduce double parking in the lane the bus would now use.

]]> By: P http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29799 P Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:08:14 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29799 I'm with crzwdjk- I don't see how this is an improvement over a bus lane. Bulbouts are better than a full lane of parking but south of 14th Street (and further probably) there is a bus lane already. I'm with crzwdjk-

I don't see how this is an improvement over a bus lane. Bulbouts are better than a full lane of parking but south of 14th Street (and further probably) there is a bus lane already.

]]> By: crzwdjk http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29798 crzwdjk Mon, 12 Mar 2007 16:35:01 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29798 Bus bulbs are great and all, but lower Broadway has a part-time bus lane. Does this mean that they're going to be abolishing the bus lane in favor of more full-time parking? Because right now the pecking order has buses speeding along in their own lane bypassing all the traffic during rush hour. Bus bulbs are great and all, but lower Broadway has a part-time bus lane. Does this mean that they're going to be abolishing the bus lane in favor of more full-time parking? Because right now the pecking order has buses speeding along in their own lane bypassing all the traffic during rush hour.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-29797 Glenn Mon, 12 Mar 2007 16:32:37 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/11/quick-bus-and-ped-improvements-coming-to-lower-broadway/#comment-29797 This is a great first step on producing more livable streets and faster surface mass transit. Bus Bulbs would be great everywhere in dense streets. In my area, Lexington Ave and all the crosstown bus routes (96th, 86th, 79th, 66/67) would greatly benefit from this. This is a great first step on producing more livable streets and faster surface mass transit. Bus Bulbs would be great everywhere in dense streets. In my area, Lexington Ave and all the crosstown bus routes (96th, 86th, 79th, 66/67) would greatly benefit from this.

]]>