Sharing the Road on Manhattan’s East Side

By Elizabeth Manus

Prepared for the CIVITAS Spring 2011 Newsletter

Protected bike lanes on Columbus Avenue

Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan told an audience of design-minded people in midtown Manhattan that now is the time “to build more choices” into “underperforming” streets that were engineered for car travel. Thus, she stated, bicycle lanes represent an important part of DOT’s overall strategy. Indeed, over the past four years approximately 250 miles of bike lanes have been introduced into the 6,000 miles of city streets.

The implementation of Select Bus Service (SBS) along First and Second Avenues has afforded DOT an opportunity to redesign a part of Manhattan’s East Side streetscape to provide a place for bicycle travel. Accordingly, DOT planners are in the process of considering various bike lane designs along these corridors.

Essentially, there are four types of bike lanes DOT can choose from. Along a physically protected bike lane, cyclists travel a green strip running between the sidewalk on one side and a white painted area, flanked most often by a parked-car lane, on the other. In a buffered lane, cyclists have the parking lane on one side and a parallel dashed-line painted buffer on the other; the barrier is visual, not physical. The conventional bike lane, designated by pavement striping, is the most common type of lane. Finally, the shared lane is a route cyclists share with motor vehicles. All bikeways feature the symbol of a helmeted rider perched on a bicycle, and a shared lane is marked additionally by chevrons.

Currently, on the First and Second Avenue SBS routes cyclists enjoy access to protected lanes below 34th Street, a situation which provides maximum protection. When protected lanes are laid, “injury crashes for all road users (drivers, pedestrians, cyclists), typically drop by 40 percent and by more than 50 percent in some locations,” according to a March 21, 2011 memo by Howard Wolfson, Deputy Mayor for Government Affairs and Communications. For this reason, bike advocacy groups are urging that protected lanes be extended north to 59th Street and in East Harlem.

In considering which type of bike lane to make part of the roadway, DOT designers, planners and engineers will be analyzing everything from bicycle volume to parking needs, pedestrian crossing distances and store loading plans. Many cyclists stress that to travel on a physically unprotected lane, even under optimal pavement conditions, is to travel unsafely.

Find more about NYC bicycling routes and regulations for riding at:

www.bit.ly/NYCDOTbike

CIVITAS' Select Bus Survey Results and Recommendations

March 21, 2011

Jay Walder
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Metropolitan Transit Authority
347 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017-3739

Dear Mr. Walder,

CIVITAS has been a strong supporter of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plans on First and Second Avenue and has been an active member of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) since 2009. We saw as a sign of progress the October 2010 launch of the Select Bus Service (SBS) line and its promise to improve travel times along the corridor from 125th Street to South Ferry, a route that is underserved by efficient transit.

Throughout the planning process, led by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and partner New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), CIVITAS has been impressed by the efficient implementation of the new bus line, and opportunities for community input at CAC meetings, and public open houses. Since its October 2010 launch, the highly anticipated SBS has been met with a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism charged by new procedures such as off-board ticketing, proof of payment receipts, three bus entrances, and a designated bus lane with camera enforcement.

In order to gauge the success and shortfalls of SBS’ first few months, CIVITAS conducted a survey from November 1, 2010 to January 3, 2011 focusing on rider experience in the areas of ticketing, boarding, traffic flow, and overall efficiency. We received 262 responses from riders throughout the First and Second Avenue corridor.

Although CIVITAS’ Select Bus Rider Survey revealed an overall—62%—positive response to SBS, particularly due to the noticeable decrease in travel time, the public response includes a list of complaints and concerns that must be addressed. These fall into the following seven categories:

• MTA Outreach/Education
• Off-Board Ticket Machines
• Bus Stops
• Bus Ride/Design
• Bus Lanes
• Paper Receipts
• Customer Service

While some of these items may pertain to larger issues such as infrastructure and technology, there are short-term and manageable concerns that would significantly improve the public impression of SBS if properly addressed. The Raw Data attachment includes survey statistics from over 250 responders and the Summary attachment highlights comments most frequently addressed within the survey. For immediate improvement we would like to make three recommendations.

1. Consistent Publication of SBS Stop Locations

CIVITAS commends the MTA and DOT for the public outreach that took place prior to the implementation of the new system and especially staff orientations at bus stops within the early months proved to be beneficial. There is a lack of consistency, however, regarding the exact stop locations along the SBS route. This can be found in publications such as the M15 bus schedule pamphlet, (“MTA/New York City Transit Manhattan Bus Schedules." Mta.info. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/bus/mhtnsch.htm), the Bus Rapid Transit webpage, (“Bus Rapid Transit - First and Second Avenues." NYC.gov. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. http://www.nyc.gov/html/brt/html/current/first_ave.shtml), and the Select Bus Service Newsletter (+selectbusservice First Avenue/Second Avenue. Newsletter 2/Fall 2010. Print). It is crucial for riders, local to NYC or visiting tourists, to have these maps readily available at each stop, online, and on buses in order to plan ahead and anticipate the connections to other transit lines. Similarly, updates to the Second Avenue bus route due to subway construction should be prominently featured.

2. Improved Maintenance and Additional Machines

The MetroCard machines are frequently inoperable, whether due to technical problems or lack of paper receipts. This creates a backup at congested bus stops and increases the risk of passenger fines. We recommend that MTA increase inspection frequency, and set up a direct and efficient method for customers to report locations of broken machines. The current method for reporting broken machines by calling MTA’s customer service number, 718-330-1234, is time-consuming and confusing. Furthermore, installing additional machines at congested stops such as 14^th, 34^th, and 79^th Streets would speed the boarding process and reduce crowding around working machines.

3. Better Cross-Town Bus Connections

CIVITAS has been a strong supporter of the limited nature of the SBS stop locations and has advocated for roughly 10-blocks separating each express stop. There are stops, however, where the distance between an SBS and local bus, or a cross-town bus should be reexamined. This is apparent throughout the corridor where riders must cross a major cross-town intersection to transfer buses, a situation that is unsafe for riders of all ages, and especially those who are less mobile. This is evident at the 25^th, 88^th, 97^th and 100^th Street stops, which are two or more blocks from the 23^rd, 86^th, and 96^th Street cross-town buses respectively.

We urge MTA and DOT to reevaluate the stop locations that are placed blocks away from the cross-town connection.

Although a significant number of survey comments addressed the lack of a stop at the 72^nd Street cross-town bus connection, CIVITAS feels strongly that an additional stop would deter from the efficient and established route. This discussion should be reconsidered, however, with the future completion of the 72^nd Street Second Avenue subway stop.

The Select Bus Rider Survey revealed complaints about the SBS experience that have longer-term solutions relating to the established SBS infrastructure. We recognize that paper receipts are central to the off-board payment and three-door boarding opportunities of the SBS model, but they create excessive litter and are easily misplaced. CIVITAS supports the implementation of a universal MetroCard that will electronically store off-board purchases and transfer information. We hope MTA will continue to utilize technology to streamline payments and boarding procedures.

We thank you for your continuing efforts to engage the community in order to better serve riders and East Side transit. Our objective is for this information to be useful as MTA moves forward in improving the Select Bus Service on First and Second Avenue and implementing new SBS routes throughout New York City.

Sincerely,

Hunter F. Armstrong
Executive Director

Tali Cantor
Associate Director

Hon. Carolyn Maloney, US Congresswoman
Hon. Christine C. Quinn, NYC Council Speaker
Hon. Scott M. Stringer, Manhattan Borough President
Hon. Liz Krueger, NYS Senator
Hon. Jose M. Serrano, NYS Senator
Hon. Jonathan L. Bing, NYS Assembly Member
Hon. Micah Z. Kellner, NYS Assembly Member
Hon. Daniel R. Garodnick, NYC Council Member
Hon. Jessica S. Lappin, NYC Council Member
Hon. Melissa Mark-Viverito, NYC Council Member
Robert Marino, Director, MTA NYCT Government & Community Relations
Ted Orosz, Director, MTA NYCT Long Range Bus Planning
Kate Mikuliak, NYCDOT BRT Outreach Coordinator
Manhattan Community Board 8
Manhattan Community Board 11

Summary of Comments & Raw Data

Complete a Short Survey: Select Bus Service on First and Second Avenue

CIVITAS supports the October 2010 implementation of Select Bus Service (SBS) on First and Second Avenue (South Ferry to 125th Street), which replaces the M15 Limited. The East Side was chosen for the Manhattan bus rapid transit (BRT) pilot project after the successful BRT line was implemented in the Bronx. If successful, SBS represents an inexpensive and innovative transportation approach to New York City. Since 2009, CIVITAS has participated in the Community Advisory Committee, a coalition comprised of the MTA, NYC DOT, elected officials and community stakeholders, to help plan and provide feedback to implement SBS. If the M15 Select Bus Service line proves to be a success, we hope to see additional bus rapid transit lines built throughout New York City.

If you use the SBS line on First and Second Avenue, we want to know about your SBS experience. Please complete this 5-10 minute survey with your feedback. If you don’t have an answer to every question, please make your best guess. Your anonymous feedback will be provided to the MTA New York City Transit and NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to help them work out the kinks.

Visit http://bit.ly/SurveySBS to fill out an electronic survey

Please forward this survey to your neighbors who use the M15 SBS line.