Latest news with #QueensBusNetworkRedesign
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Queens bus routes see upheaval as MTA sends ‘ambassadors,' CEO to warn riders ofchanges
The MTA launched a major overhaul of the Queens bus system — with trained 'ambassadors' deployed into the community to warn riders of the upheaval. MTA CEO Janno Lieber showed up to join the ambassadors to speak to community members Monday — one day after the launch of the redesign, which includes 16 new routes, 67 changed routes and five discontinued routes. 'We're spending $35 million more a year to give Queens better, faster bus service,' Lieber said at a press conference outside the Main St/Kissena Blvd Q20 bus stop. 'These are real benefits for people in Queens. This is what good government looks like.' Advertisement The changes are the first phase of the long-awaited Queens Bus Network Redesign project, which is the most recent change to the borough's bus routes since the 1950s. The MTA launched 16 new bus routes, changed 67 routes, and discontinued five routes as part of the long-awaited first phase of the Queens Bus Network Redesign project, which launched Sunday. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post The changes include rush routes that have been added to quickly bring passengers from underserved areas to transit hubs, such as Jamaica and Flushing, officials announced For example, one route, the Q13, will be designed to shuttle passengers between Bell Boulevard in Bayside and Flushing, Chris Pangilinan, the MTA's 'Bus Boss,' explained to reporters and commuters. Advertisement The ambassadors — numbering in the hundreds — are tasked with informing the roughly 800,000 commuters impacted of the new route changes, Lieber said. 27-year-old MTA worker, Charlie Zhen, who is fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese, explains the route changes to commuters. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post Still, language barriers and the long-time rituals of some commuters made residents uneasy about the new changes. Advertisement While handing out pamphlets to explain the changes in service on the Q20 to bus passengers, Lieber was met with confused looks from passengers who did not speak English, The Post observed. They were later reassured by a 27-year-old MTA worker, Charlie Zhen, who is fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese and could explain the route changes. Pamphlets were also translated into Chinese to increase their readability for some passengers. 'It's good. It's better for me. I knew. The signs in my language,' said 67-year-old Flushing resident Xi Jin. Advertisement Omar, 22, said he was glad he wasn't affected directly by the changes, as he was heading to his job as a security guard in the Bronx on the Q44. 'It's a good thing for me, nothing changed. I don't need any more aggravation. You got the heat, the humidity, the crowds just to go to work… going to work is aggravating enough,' he said. The second phase of the redesign will be implemented on Aug. 31, officials said.
Time Out
6 days ago
- Time Out
Queens bus routes will get a complete overhaul this weekend—here's what to know
Queens' bus network is about to hit refresh. Starting Sunday, June 29, the MTA is rolling out the first phase of its long-awaited Queens Bus Network Redesign, a complete overhaul that will touch all but three of the borough's bus routes. The changes aim to simplify service, improve frequency and better connect riders to subways and key destinations across the city. It's the first comprehensive revamp in decades and if you're one of the nearly 1 million daily bus riders in the borough, your commute is about to change. 'Queens is the bus borough,' said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber at a press conference. 'In Queens, there are 800,000 daily bus customers. They need fast and frequent service, and they are going to get it with this redesign.' The redesign introduces 124 total routes—94 local and 30 express—up from the current 113. That includes 14 brand-new routes debuting Sunday and a fresh class of 'Rush' routes designed to shuttle commuters more quickly to subway and rail hubs. Six current routes will be discontinued and another (Q21) will phase out in August when the second part of the plan goes into effect. Among the headline perks: An estimated 124,000 more people will now live within a quarter mile of a bus arriving every 10 minutes or less during daytime hours and 68,000 more residents will gain access to 24/7 bus service. Sunday's changes largely focus on eastern Queens and Ridgewood, with western Queens seeing shifts in Phase 2 on Aug. 31. The MTA has launched an arsenal of digital tools —including a route look-up engine, an interactive map and a trip planner—to help riders navigate the transition. This overhaul has been years in the making, following a 2019 proposal that was widely panned and a 2020 pandemic pause. Since then, the MTA has hosted over 250 community events and reviewed more than 18,000 public comments to refine the final plan. 'There are things that need to be tinkered with in the plan,' acknowledged State Senator Leroy Comrie, 'but we do have a promise, once the plan is implemented, that there's an opportunity for tinkering to be done.'
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MTA to host pop-ups ahead of new Queens bus routes launch
Editor's note: The above video originally aired on April 7. QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) – Major changes are coming to more than 100 bus routes in Queens and MTA officials are trying to make sure New Yorkers know what to expect. The MTA is hosting a series of pop-up events to help alert commuters to the changes coming to their bus routes this summer. Starting in June the transit agency will roll out new routes, discontinue some, and change others as part of the Queens Bus Network Redesign. More Transit News MTA officials will host 23 pop-up events between next Tuesday and May 22 throughout Queens and Long Island. Each pop-up will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. During the event New Yorkers can learn specifics about when and how each route will change as well as find information on the project phasing guide. More Local News The Queens Bus Network Redesign plan will take place in two phase aligning with regular seasonal timetable changes. In the first phase the MTA will launch 16 new routes, implement changes on 67 routes, and discontinue five routes. In phase two, the transit agency will launch one route, change 37 others, and discontinue one more. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Below is a list of locations for the MTA pop-up events. April 22 – Jamaica 165 St Bus Terminal April 22 – Sutphin Blvd–Archer Av–JFK Airport subway station April 22 – Parsons Blvd subway station April 23 – Queens Center Mall April 26 – Green Acres Mall April 29 – Queensborough Community College April 29 – Queens Village LIRR station April 30 – Bayside LIRR station May 1 – Rockaway Blvd subway station May 6 – College Point Blvd—14 Av May 6 – 21 St—Queensbridge subway station May 7 – Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues subway station May 7 – Court Square–23rd St subway station May 8 – Merrick Blvd May 12 – Flushing-Main St subway station May 13 – Forest Hills–71 Av subway station May 13 – Kew Gardens–Union Tpke subway station May 14 – Ozone Park–Lefferts Blvd subway station May 15 – Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Av/74 St subway station May 20 – Rockaway Park–Beach 116 St subway station May 21 – Jamaica–179 St subway station May 22 – 103 St–Corona Plaza subway station May 22 – Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
