Statement in Support of Cross Bronx Connector Busway (and Rebuttal to Streetsblog Article in Opposition to It)

By Jack Nierenberg

Bronx buses

We at Passengers United support the New York State Department of Transportation’s proposal for a dedicated busway along the Cross Bronx Expressway that would connect the neighborhoods along each side of the Bronx River. We estimate that it would be a game changer for bus riders in the Bronx and Queens, as it would connect communities along the expressway that currently lack such a connection and allow for a) faster, more efficient bus service along the Cross Bronx corridor, b) an easy extension of the Q44 SBS to Fordham Plaza, and c) the potential creation of a bus corridor along the Cross Bronx Expressway as part of the Reimagine the Cross Bronx project, which would tremendously benefit the communities along the Cross Bronx by enabling them to more easily travel without needing to drive or book a taxi or for-hire vehicle.
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Streetsblog is dead wrong — this connector road would not be just an expansion of the highway for car traffic. It presents a significant opportunity for transit priority and thus we strongly recommend that it be utilized solely by buses. The Bx36 and Q44 routes would likely use this connector road. The northbound Q44 would no longer have to traverse narrow side streets to get to East 180th Street, but instead follow the same route as the southbound Q44, paving the way for a long-demanded extension of the route to Fordham Plaza, a Metro-North station and transit hub. Meanwhile, the Bx36 has both a Local and a Limited variant, which leaves open options for how the route could utilize the corridor. One option is for the Bx36 Local to continue running its current route while the Bx36 Limited is diverted to the Cross Bronx Expressway and connector road (this would be a win-win, especially since this would be quicker and more direct than the current Bx36 Limited route).

Either way, this bus corridor would not compromise bus coverage on local streets, unlike what Danny Pearlstein and Riders Alliance want you to believe. This part of the Bronx is not a transit desert, and other routes like the Bx39, Bx40, and Bx42 would easily fill in any gaps this plan would create (if there are any). The bus stop locations would also be virtually the same as they are right now. Thus, this plan creates no real drawbacks for bus riders and the communities in the area, only benefits.

The idea that this bus corridor is seriously problematic is just another bald-faced lie from Riders Alliance, which has consistently been advocating for busways and bus priority projects in New York City. But when they’re presented with a solution that is exactly that — a busway — that they did not take part in creating or is not exactly what they want, they pull a 180, instead creating a problem that does not exist to try to stop the solution from coming to fruition, even if the solution would benefit the people. These tactics are typical of Riders Alliance — for them, it’s not about results, but about their ability to take credit for things and make themselves look “good” to their donors, who then flood their bank accounts. But then, for an organization with a personnel expense ratio of over 75% that is more concerned about shoving its self-aggrandizing agenda down everyone’s throats than actually delivering for transit riders and disadvantaged communities, this is unfortunately not surprising. Also, the fact that Riders Alliance suddenly cares about compromising bus coverage when they’ve blindly supported the bus network redesigns — including the one in the Bronx — without concern for the needs of the ridership should certainly raise some eyebrows.

The bottom line is that this dedicated busway along the Cross Bronx Expressway would improve equity, connectivity, and mobility in the area, the Bronx, and the greater city. It is a no-brainer that everyone should support it.