ICYMI: Restore the Q75 Bus Route Between Bayside and Jamaica, Lawmakers Urge MTA

BAYSIDE-DOUGLASTON, NY – A bus route that once connected Bayside and Jamaica should be brought back, local leaders are telling the MTA. Before it was eliminated in 2010, the Q75 bus route was a valuable link between the two neighborhoods for northeast Queens residents with few other transit options, lawmakers told QNS.

Councilman Barry Grodenchik and Assemblymembers Nily Rozic and David Weprin want to bring that line back. They are urging the MTA to restore the connection between Oakland Gardens in Bayside and Jamaica’s subway line via Hillside Avenue, 188th Street and 73rd Avenue.

The bus route's removal was particularly hard on the area's senior population, who may be physically unable to walk the distance between two buses to access the subway system, they said.

"In my district, we have no subway service and rely on MTA buses to get around,” Grodenchik told QNS.

“The restoration of the Q75 bus line would greatly improve the quality of life for seniors, students and residents across eastern Queens. It’s the MTA’s duty to prioritize restoration in areas where bus service is so critical. More transit options for the people of eastern Queens need to be funded to ensure our borough continues to progress.”

Rozic said the MTA has work to do to improve service and accountability “across the system.” He said in the many Queens neighborhoods, restoring the Q75 bus service is integral to serving community members who rely on mass transit in their daily lives.

Weprin pointed out the route’s cancellation was part of the transportation agency’s 2010 service cuts totaling $93 million, which he said left the borough with “less than ideal bus service.”

“The MTA has a responsibility to ensure that all residents in New York City have access to a public transportation option, especially those who live in transit deserts,” he said.

Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who represents sections of northwestern Manhattan and serves as chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee, said he was committed to working with the Queens lawmakers to tackle the borough’s transit woes.

“Our transportation system is the lifeblood of the city and stimulates our economy,” Rodriguez said. “The Q75 bus connected hard-working middle class residents to work, recreation, healthcare and commerce. Losing this route is not good for New Yorkers, so it’s not good for New York.”

Most customers affected by the bus service cuts have found transportation alternatives, according to a northeast Queens bus study done in 2014. Nearly 1,000 people used the Q75 bus route on an average weekday.

An MTA spokesman told QNS.com that the Q75 route had the fourth-lowest ridership in the city, which is why it was chosen to be eliminated. Residents in the neighborhood looking to access Jamaica can take the Q17, Q27, Q30, Q43 or Q88 buses, the spokesman said.

Lead image via Patch