Comments on: Bus Bulbs Are Blooming

By: Angus Grieve-Smith

Angus Grieve-Smith — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:46:43 +0000

So essentially, Jimbob, they're taking a former traffic lane and turning it into a standing zone (to keep standing cars out of the way of buses) and sidewalk extensions? Sounds like it might work.

By: jimbob

jimbob — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 02:58:13 +0000

The difference is that a moving lane is almost always a moving lane - it is rarely outright blocked. On the other hand, all it takes is one car blocking a curbside bus lane per block to render the bus lane all but useless. That is the situation with the current curbside bus lane on Broadway. At least if buses are allowed to stop in the moving lane they are already in (because of the bus bulbs) then they don't have to waste their own time and cause traffic friction by merging in and out.

Even though a curbside bus lane might be being eliminated, it's basically a useless lane that only hinders bus mobility in its current state. I think the non-dedicated moving lane for buses is an improvement even if buses don't have a dedicated lane, as now they won't have to merge in and out of traffic due to a constantly blocked bus lane.

By: Ian D

Ian D — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:46:06 +0000

I meant to add - the curb lane will continue to be parking (except where the bus bulbs are placed).

By: Ian D

Ian D — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:44:17 +0000

I've got a call in to DOT for a clarification, but I think I've got it right after sitting through the DOT presentation on the Lower Manhattan Traffic Priority Plan last month. Here's a paragraph from the Downtown Express: "Under the primary plan, the D.O.T. hopes to prioritize mass transit and local deliveries by turning Broadwayâ€™s westernmost southbound lane into a bus-only lane from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. To complement the bus lane, the D.O.T. would construct bus bulbs at Houston, Spring, Grand, Walker and Franklin Sts. "

By: Aaron Naparstek

Aaron Naparstek — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:17:41 +0000

Why wait? Give DOT or the CB a call and ask them. It's a good question. We don't have the resources to chase it down right now.

By: P

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:58:00 +0000

I guess they decided to get rid of the bus lane in favor of bus bulbs and more parking.

That's what Mike and I are saying. I'm waiting for someone to tell me how this is not a horrible decision.

If the bus lane was clogged with traffic: enforce the law!

By: crzwdjk

crzwdjk — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:45:50 +0000

On that map you can distinctly see the thick solid white line bounding the right lane, which is a good sign that it is (or was) a bus lane. You can even make out a diamond just above Canal. I guess they decided to get rid of the bus lane in favor of bus bulbs and more parking. And there is definitely a considerable amount of bus traffic on Broadway, with most of the Brooklyn and SI express buses running from Midtown to Downtown.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:20:07 +0000

P: There is *definitely* an existing bus lane from Union Square to Houston, and it appears there's one below Canal as well. I'm not as positive about Soho. And P: What do you mean by "the same answer"? I don't see any answer here.

By: P

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:32:24 +0000

(That was directed to Mike...)

By: P

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:31:40 +0000

I asked the same question the first time this idea was brought up here. I got the same answer. The best I can tell from the map is that the bus lane must not truly start until south of Canal. That's not how I remember it though...

By: Doc Barnett

Doc Barnett — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:06:07 +0000

And, really, that email address does not need to be a link you annoying text processing algorithm. It was anecdotal.

By: Doc Barnett

Doc Barnett — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:05:06 +0000

I hereby give Streetsblog permission to "steal" Curbed's photo, based on half dozen photos they've run that my boyfriend donated to tips@curbed.com. Also, Curbed has been happy to take photos directly off his weblog, and he has been happy for the occasional links back. Long live the internets!

By: Damian

Damian — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:03:44 +0000

What's needed now is a fully-dedicated bus lane with a bus-level platform. Full BRT provides incredibly fast service at a tiny fraction of the cost of digging subways.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:48:14 +0000

You mock Curbed, yet steal their photo?

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:22:30 +0000

Isn't the rightmost lane in Soho already a bus lane? Does this mean that the rightmost lane will become a mixture of bus bulbs and parking, and that buses will be in the second-rightmost lane, mixed in with the ordinary traffic that's usually not moving? That hardly seems like a win.