The long-awaited Queens Bus Network Redesign culminates with a virtual meeting next week, showcasing improvements for Roosevelt Island and enhancing public transportation accessibility.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
A story we’ve been chasing for five years, the Queens Bus Network Redesign, is finally coming to an end. Next week, the MTA hosts a virtual (ZOOM) meeting. Leaders will discuss the results of years of planning and discussion. You are also welcome to submit questions here in advance.
The meeting is set for next Wednesday, January 22nd, at 6:30. Learn more at the MTA’s Queens Bus Network Redesign website.
Queens Bus Network Redesign for Roosevelt Island
As we reported in December, sustained public input saved the Q102 now covering Roosevelt Island. Apart from eliminating its 40 River Road stops and all those south of the Tram, the Main Street route remains intact. Its path in Queens, however, is completely changed.
Instead of turning onto Vernon Boulevard after the Roosevelt Island Bridge, Q102s will go straight up 36th Ave to 31st Street. There, they turn right, heading for Queens Plaza and finally Court Square. Both of those stops offer accessible subway access. The return route follows an identical path.
Stops along Vernon Boulevard currently served by the Q102 will be covered by new routes running along Vernon. Trips to Costco, for example, will require a transfer. The quick timing of this meeting suggests that the MTA will move expeditiously to complete the redesign.
AVAC Is Working. The Model Is What’s Aging.
Roosevelt Island’s AVAC system is often discussed as if it were either a miracle or a menace. In truth, it is neither. It is functioning infrastructure that has reached a point in its lifecycle where how it is maintained matters as much as whether it exists at all.
