Gothamist: DOT Attempts to Prioritize Mass Transit Downtown

Subrok

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:46:30 -0500

"...and give residents a car pass for their personal use." Seriously? Last time I checked, this was New York F'ing City. Re-create your suburbs elsewhere.

comentz

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:58:56 -0500

Good points, urbanplanner. DOT has fallen behind in implementing fresh ideas that could be considered dated in other major cities across the Atlantic where walking or taking the bus is a pleasure. Roadway width is not the salvation; numbers and options are.

urbanplanner

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:03:36 -0500

What's with the attitude, Gothamaist? You clearly haven't bothered to understand the dynamics of street design. Bus bulbs increase the efficiency of transit at the expense of single-driver autos (who shouldn't be driving into Lower Manhattan to begin with). It's shocking how reactionary the New York media is any time a progressive traffic measure is proposed. "An Inconvenient Truth" is praised to no end, but when concrete steps are taken locally that can reduce pollution the city's chattering classes snicker and complain. Get over it.

Not Amused

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:43:40 -0500

Like I said, Not going to happen !

ling

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:34:26 -0500

Yes, many subway lines run below Canal Street but not on the weekends. From 12:00am Saturday until 6:00am Monday and many nights, the lines DO NOT stop at any of the stations below Canal or Chambers on most/any of the lines. Most of the entrances/exits to the biggest hub, Fulton Street are closed all weekend and with construction, it is all but impossible to get around down here. You try hauling groceries, strollers, etc through the mess that is the very limited public transportation in the Financial District and see for yourself how difficult it is to get around down here.

Zach

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:39:56 -0500

Waitaminute. You're complaining about the lack of transit options down-fuckin-town? The land where practically every subway line converges? Dude, I don't care how much they screw up on the weekends, you have like twelve subway lines down there. Joe: I think this is targeted at the express buses to Staten Island/Bklyn/Queens, but I'm just guessing. Particularly the Battery Tunnel. Gwin: The bus does block a lane of traffic -- it's to get rid of the need to pull into the curb and back out, which is a big cause of slowdowns. It's just a shift in priorities.

Gwin

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:10:55 -0500

So with "bus bulbs," a bus will just come to halt in a traffic lane to pick passengers up instead of pulling out of the traffic flow...? Not sure if I understand the logic behind this. Doesn't it mean the bus will then just be blocking a lane of traffic?

Not Amused

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:53:30 -0500

>Correction

Not Amused

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:50:34 -0500

That's because the police don't enforce the rule "Pete" . I don't this really making any difference at all ! With all those subway lines in downtown why would you want to extend the already overcrowded buses serving the area with more fares ? Makes no sense at all.

reagan

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 06:51:48 -0500

I've lived in the financial district for 2 years now and I have to agree with ling that mass transit on the weekend is already pretty skimpy due to construction. I don't understand why they try to encourage people to live down here and then take away services. I'll be moving soon enough and this is the primary cause.

Amanda

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 02:58:31 -0500

Public transportation is so much better than owning personal cars. It should really be the only way in my opinion. It's nice to see they are trying to improve SOMETHING.

pete

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 01:41:43 -0500

Unless NYC uses automatic plate recognition or gates, its going to be hell keeping NYC drivers out of there. Look at Fulton Street Mall, the "only buses" rule is always being broken.

ling

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 22:47:44 -0500

No one ever considers the needs of the residents of the financial district or the lousy quality of life we have been subjected to in this neighborhood over the last 6+ years. We still don't have a lot of "basic needs" shopping, 24/7 or even 7 days a week, down here and the subways are often not running below Canal or Chambers on the weekends due to construction. Residents need to have taxi service on Broadway to the end of the island at all times. Get rid of the tourist buses, tell the television and movie shoots to use other parts of the city for a change and give residents a car pass for their personal use. Stop punishing the people who have kept this neighborhood going!

joe

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:21:57 -0500

I'm all for mass transit, but I find this slightly odd considering that virtually every foot of Broadway has a subway line under it --- why take the bus?

sam

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:00:18 -0500

I'm for it if it gets the &$*%& tour buses off Broadway. That's 20% of the traffic on lower Broadway anyway