New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething

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New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by Gold_12th on Sat Jul 7 13:19:50 2012 edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Geraldine Burccoleri’s home did not come with a driveway. But when her family moved there 40 years ago, that was not much of a problem. Parking was never much of an issue in the residential part of South Ozone Park where she lives. But in recent years, finding a spot has gotten more difficult along 109th Avenue as the population in the community rises and residents utilize the side streets to park cars and take the A train, which is located two blocks away. Finding a spot is important for Burccoleri. Her mother is handicapped and has a handicapped placard for her minivan. Her sister has Down syndrome and needs to utilize special vans to get around. That makes the parking spaces in front of Burccoleri’s home so important. But last Thursday morning, she woke up to a life-changing surprise. The coveted parking spaces in front of her house were gone. Half the block, including the section in front of her home, had been reserved for a bus stop serving Jamaica-bound Q41 buses. There was never a bus line along this section of 109th Avenue. Until July 1, the route took the Q41, which runs from Jamaica Center to Howard Beach, along 111th Avenue from 111th to 130th streets. The change in the route was done to eliminate what the MTA described as time-consuming turns in South Ozone Park. The Q41 would run up 109th Avenue to 111th Street, then turn south one block to 111th Avenue. Then Jamaica-bound buses would turn north at 130th Street, then west on 109th Avenue, then north again on 128th Street. The turns occurred where the cross streets are not contiguous on either side of 109th Avenue near PS 121 and St. Teresa of Avila church. When the MTA brought the plan before Community Board 10 last September, the board overwhelmingly rejected it, but the community board vote is merely a recommendation and the MTA is still allowed to implement plans without its support. Among those on CB 10 who opposed the change was Margaret Finnerty, president of the Richmond Hill South Civic Association, who suggested the change would affect students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and PS 100, both of which are on 111th Avenue, forcing them to walk a long block to access buses. But for Burccoleri and her neighbors, including Sherry O’Neil, who has lived on 109th Avenue between 115th and 116th Streets for four decades, it’s a quality of life issue. “We bought this house knowing we didn’t have a driveway, because we knew we had parking,” she said. Burccoleri was also concerned about who would be standing on the patch of grass in front of her house waiting for a bus, especially with two schools nearby. Deka Singh, who lives directly across the street from Burccoleri, has already experienced that problem. The red and blue sign marking the new bus stop sits almost directly in front of her home. “I found people sitting on my front steps,” she explained. “They were waiting for a bus.” The buses would also stop in front of Singh’s driveway, one of the few on that block, and she worries about whether or not she can access it if there is a bus picking up passengers. Even before the Q41 began running on 109th Avenue, she said people were treating her front stoop as a queuing area. The placement of the bus stops is also an issue for the band of neighbors fighting the change. The Q41 has three stops between 111th and 116th streets, but then none to Lefferts Boulevard — three blocks away. The two stops on this narrow stretch of 109th Avenue take up as many as 10 parking spots; six on the eastbound side and up to four on the westbound. Unsure of what else to do, Burccoleri and her neighbors put together a petition opposing the route change and looking for at least a dialogue with the MTA on possibly changing the locations of the stops. As of Tuesday, more than 100 people have signed the petition and Burccoleri said they would continue gathering signatures in the coming weeks. She said she hopes to pressure the MTA to consider changing the route entirely, but the agency rarely reverses changes unless they prove to make service worse. In the meantime, however, the Q41 is stopping in front of Burccoleri’s house, her mother’s minivan is parked a distance away and problems are arising among the neighbors including arguments over parking. “I’m very disgusted, to say the least,” she said. For O’Neil, who has already gotten into arguments over parking with neighbors, the change may be the last straw. After 40 years, she’s looking at moving though she had planned to stay at least until her daughter graduates high school. “Now I guess I have to put my house up for sale,” she said. “I’m done.” ---http://www.qchron.com/editions/south/new-bus-route-leaves-locals-seething/article_1ebbb40d-fadb-5cb7-8e4b-02f91b02ed6d.html
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by Dan* on Sat Jul 7 13:34:54 2012, in response to New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Gold_12th on Sat Jul 7 13:19:50 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d One more reason to avoid routing buses along residential streets. And this- "Deka Singh, who lives directly across the street from Burccoleri, has already experienced that problem. The red and blue sign marking the new bus stop sits almost directly in front of her home. “I found people sitting on my front steps,” she explained. “They were waiting for a bus.” " Unbelievable rudeness.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by Brooklyn67* on Sat Jul 7 13:44:08 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Dan on Sat Jul 7 13:34:54 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d The bigger problem is: "When the MTA brought the plan before Community Board 10 last September, the board overwhelmingly rejected it, but the community board vote is merely a recommendation and the MTA is still allowed to implement plans without its support." The agency has far too much authority.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by Dan* on Sat Jul 7 13:48:59 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Brooklyn67 on Sat Jul 7 13:44:08 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Similarly the NYCDOT doesn't need Community Board approval when it makes changes to the street network.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by mtk52983* on Sat Jul 7 14:34:03 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Brooklyn67 on Sat Jul 7 13:44:08 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d If they were required to listen to everything the Community Board said nothing would ever be done because at the same time they criticize too many buses on the streets they criticize when MTA takes service away
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by italianstallion* on Sat Jul 7 17:09:54 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Brooklyn67 on Sat Jul 7 13:44:08 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Community Boards have no veto power over anything. They are only advisory over anything the govt. wants to do.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by BrianB* on Sat Jul 7 17:36:06 2012, in response to New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Gold_12th on Sat Jul 7 13:19:50 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Why can't the mafia moll install a driveway? I can assure you that if she sells her house, the new owner (likely to be a flipper) will find a way. In the meantime, having the bus stop in front of her house has increased her land value significantly. As for madam Singh, she should approach the community board for funds to place a bench for bus passengers so they won't use her "stoop" (Howard Beach has row houses? I don't remember that). Such complaints...
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by BrianB* on Sat Jul 7 17:38:35 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by BrianB on Sat Jul 7 17:36:06 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Ooops, saw the Ozone Park reference (sorry, I've been out of NYC for a few years). The question remains however, why should a resident in a high-density neighborhood feel they deserve a parking space in front of their home?
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by Brooklyn67* on Sat Jul 7 17:59:32 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by italianstallion on Sat Jul 7 17:09:54 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Guys, I understand your point, which is valid of course. My point, however, was to infer that there's really no mechanism in place that assures a given community is not only heard, but carefully considered when the TA proposes changes. In my opinion, there should be some recourse when the TA not only proposes changes to a residential area, but implements those changes without care, concern nor regard for the residents of that community. In short, the agency has too much power for its -- and everyone elses own good. Unfortunately, however, I am not at all familiar with this bus route nor the neighborhood itself, so my opinion here is generic in nature. Remember something... the last stop on the Q36 isn't the last stop on the Q36. The woman who lives in that house complained enough that we're not permitted to stand, let alone terminate at the official last stop. It's Frank's or a violation at this point. Or at least it was a few years ago. But that's Floral Park. Why should the neighborhood matter?
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by AMoreira81* on Sat Jul 7 21:23:14 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Brooklyn67 on Sat Jul 7 13:44:08 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Not only do I agree---but I will also say that this is a routing that creates an even bigger gap in the route network than existed before. To me, Linden Boulevard would have made sense so that the Q41 would also serve Resorts NYC. If it was me, the Q41 would be a Linden Boulevard crosstown from 114 Street to Sutphin Boulevard, then following the Q6 into Flushing, leaving distinct markets for the Q24, Q112, and Q9.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by AMoreira81* on Sat Jul 7 21:23:27 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by AMoreira81 on Sat Jul 7 21:23:14 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Q6 into JAMAICA.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by AMoreira81* on Sat Jul 7 21:24:04 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by BrianB on Sat Jul 7 17:38:35 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d It's more of an issue of being there before the bus route was there; it had heretofore run on 111 Avenue.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by B49 Limited* on Sat Jul 7 23:28:10 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by AMoreira81 on Sat Jul 7 21:23:14 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Agree it would have been the perfect replacement to the Q 89 in that area and with a route that runs more frequently and serves key areas, it would have been the best move for the community.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by italianstallion* on Sun Jul 8 13:39:14 2012, in response to New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by Gold_12th on Sat Jul 7 13:19:50 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d There's no guarantee in life that nothing will ever change.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by BrooklynBus* on Sun Jul 8 23:52:27 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by mtk52983 on Sat Jul 7 14:34:03 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Not true. When I presented my southwest Brooklyn changes from the Department of City Planning to the six affected Boards in 1977, 4 boards approved the changes affecting ten routes and the other two Boards voted neutral. No Board was opposed. The changes went through and there were no problems. The MTA received only one formal complaint. The problem with MTA changes is that they alway hurt some people and the goal is always to save money not to improve service, so the Boards usually oppose their changes. If their proposed changes had merit and improved service inconveniencing a minimal number of people, the Boards wouldn't reject them.
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Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething
Posted by checkmatechamp13* on Mon Jul 9 13:09:25 2012, in response to Re: New bus route (Q41) leaves locals seething, posted by BrianB on Sat Jul 7 17:36:06 2012.* edf40wrjww2msgDetailB:detailStr fiogf49gjkf0d Eh, not really. I mean, yeah you get easy access to the bus, but you have to deal with people hanging out in front of your house waiting for the bus. (And if you don't use the bus, then what?) I remember once on the S44, a guy had the stop directly in front of his house. So he just got off the bus and walked straight up the steps and into his home. That must be nice after a long trip. Good for him...
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