Flushing Bus Depot Task Force Proposed Amid Street Congestion

QUEENS — A task force to help identify potential locations for a new bus depot in Flushing was proposed by Council Member Sandra Ung in the City Council.

The legislation proposes creating a task force that would study the cost of building a new bus depot in the busiest bus-to-train transfer neighborhood in the city.

“We are lucky to have a transit-rich area in downtown Flushing, but that also brings with it a number of challenges,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “Not only would a bus depot take out-of-service buses off our streets, but it would also provide a comfortable place for drivers to take breaks instead of sitting in a parked bus.”

The task force would research the costs of purchasing the lots, hiring contractors, workers, inspectors, and other staff, and acquiring construction-related materials.

The bus depot, similar to the Jamaica Bus Depot, would be an area for riders to exit and board the buses, as well as MTA drivers to take breaks and use the bathroom.

About 20 MTA bus routes pass through or begin and end in downtown Flushing, according to Ung, who represents the neighborhood. Out-of-service buses park in several different locations in downtown Flushing, either for scheduled layovers for driver breaks and shift changes.

The task force would be chaired by the Department of Transportation commissioner or a designee, and would also include the commissioner of the Department of City Planning or a designee and five other members appointed by the mayor.

Flushing used to have a bus depot at the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue until the mid-1940s, when it was replaced by a department store.