New Routes, Faster Buses Could Come To Bayside: MTA New Bus Plan

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — A contentious borough-wide bus redesign plan got a revamp this week, as the MTA (once again) sets its sights on speeding up commutes and modernizing redundant bus routes for hundreds-of-thousands of weekly riders in Queens — including in Bayside.

The plan to redesign Queens' sprawling network of 107 bus lines was first announced in 2019 as part of the transit agency's sweeping initiative to overhaul the city's subway and bus systems.

Pitched as a yearlong project, the MTA had to hit the brakes on the redesign in 2020 amid the pandemic — but not before every single Queens City Council member (plus transit advocates and local residents) lambasted the proposed map as a series of service cuts (a claim that the MTA hotly rejected).

The new plan, announced on Tuesday, takes into consideration the negative feedback — as well as 11,000 comments from the MTA's first round of public engagement — now offering 85 regular bus routes in Queens, up from the 77 in the old draft and the 82 that currently traverse the borough.

Here's some of the biggest changes coming to Bayside:

Continuous service on Northern Boulevard from Flushing to Little Neck

Instead of driving along Sanford Avenue in Flushing, the proposed Q12 bus, which would start on Main Street, would run along Northern Boulevard from Flushing to Little Neck by way of Bayside. The proposed 24/7 bus would continue to run every 10 minutes during weekdays, with slightly less frequent weekend service. Find out more on page 95 here.

A slight change on the Q13

To make up for the proposed Q12 route, the Q13 would run along Sanford Avenue in Flushing, and then continue to Northern Boulevard and up Bell Boulevard as usual. Find out more on page 99 here.

A route change linking Queensboro Community College and College Point

Instead of running from Flushing to Cambria Heights, the proposed Q27 would eliminate its southernmost stops in lieu of stops in the northern part of the borough (College Point). The proposed 24/7 bus would continue to run every five or six minutes during the weekday, with slightly faster service on the weekend. Find out more on page 159 here.

Faster service from Bay Terrace to Flushing

The Q28 bus would continue to run from Bay Terrace to Flushing, but stops on the proposed route would be spaced slightly further apart in order to speed up buses and improve reliability, according to the plan. The proposed 24/7 bus would continue to run every nine or 10 minutes during the week with slightly slower service on the weekends. Find out more on page 165 here.

A new route from Laurelton to Bayside

The proposed Q78 would stretch from Laurelton to Bayside along Springfield Boulevard and Bell Boulevard. The proposed bus would run every 12 minutes or 20 minutes during peak and off-peak weekday hours, respectively, with regular (but more infrequent) weekend service. Find out more on page 327 here.

Route changes on Bayside to Manhattan buses

The new plan includes proposals to streamline several routes that take commuters from Bayside to Manhattan, including the QM2 and QM5 (pictured here from left to right). The proposed routes would also include changes in Manhattan in order to speed up travel time, according to the plan. Find out more starting on page 397 here.

The 'most important' redesign plan

MTA brass lauded the new plan, saying it will improve speed and efficiency for riders in the World's Borough, who often depend on buses as their sole public transit option.

"The Queens New Draft Plan is the third to be released, but in some ways, may be the most important of the five because Queens has, historically, had less subway service relative to its size and population than the other boroughs," acknowledged MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

Transit officials said that the plan will cut an as-yet stated number of bus stops in order to reduce commuting time (each stop axed could save 20 seconds of travel time, officials estimate), introduce so-called "rush" service for buses that connect riders to subway lines, and preserve some Sunday service — a major sticking point of the last plan, which nixed Sunday service.

The plan includes 20 new routes, plus 11 "retired" routes, which will either be combined with an existing one or incorporated into a new route. All told, 17 lines will be extended, seven shortened, and five incorporated into existing routes, plans show.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards echoed Lieber's sentiment, speaking to the importance of reliable bus service in Queens.

"Queens families rely heavily on bus service that can often lack in efficiency and reliability, especially in our many transit deserts, so it could not be more important that we get this redesign of our borough’s bus network right," he said, urging residents in Queens to familiarize themselves with the plan and give feedback.

On April 18 the MTA will kick off its virtual public workshops to hear feedback and answer questions from neighbors in Queens, one community district at a time (though neighbors who can't make their community district meeting can attend a different meeting, the MTA said).

Neighbors in Bayside can attend a workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on May 24 (registration is here). Spanish, Mandarin and Korean language assistance will be provided, the MTA said.

Interactive local and express maps of the proposed bus networks also include a comment feature, which neighbors can use to directly post opinions on proposed bus routes and stops.

Find out more about the new redesign plan, and how to get involved, here.