23rd Crosstown Bus Passenger Safety -
12-12-2006, 09:49 PM
The MTA recently did away with the east-bound 23rd Street crosstown bus stop at 23rd and 5th. To get a bus on Fifth toward the Village, one now has either to walk from Sixth Avenue or get off the M23 at Madison Avenue and navigate two VERY dangerous crossings over Broadway and then 5th. The alternative is to walk down Broadway to 22nd, go to Fifth and then walk back to 23rd. During late night hours, some - not all - of the crosstown drivers will let one off at 5th if requested.
I know this is on the edge of Chelsea (depending on border definitions!) but it affects Chelsea residents, and especially the elderly. This seems to be in line with the MTA decision a number of years ago to move the west-bound bus stop at 10th Avenue from in front of 465 to the west side of 10th forcing passengers to cross back to the west side of the Avenue to get the M11 going up 10th.
The rationale I heard for the 10th Avenue move was that it prevents accidents as other traffic turns in front of the stopped bus, but it seems to put passengers in harm's way and often cause them to miss a connecting bus.
Re: 23rd Crosstown Bus Passenger Safety -
12-12-2006, 10:32 PM
It also affects the disabled. I have a chronic illness and can only walk a few blocks. I and others depend on buses for transportation as close to our destinations as possible! I often wonder if any of these "transportation planners" are from the city, and have even the remotest idea of what it's like to live here. This is ridiculous- any suggestions as to what to do to protest it?
Re: 23rd Crosstown Bus Passenger Safety -
12-13-2006, 12:26 AM
PHTP2,
You're perfectly right and I'm sorry that I forgot to mention the disabled.
My first thought is "All politics is local" (Daniel Patrick Moynahan [?]). If we can get enough people to get the attention of Christine Quinn, Dick Gottfried, Tom Duane, Community Board 4 and other local elected leaders/proponents,as well as the local political clubs, there might be a chance on this and on other issues. I'd also suggest everybody calling 311; I've done this a number of times with the thought that it at least gets an issue on the record.
JONATHAN - if you're out there listening: would it be possible for some threads like this to be copied, in whole or in part, and forwarded to the people concerned (MTA, politicans, Community Boards etc etc) so they could see that there is an active, interested part of the constituancy with concerns on specific issues? Could be a cool, grass-roots use of a great forum!
Re: 23rd Crosstown Bus Passenger Safety -
12-13-2006, 07:20 AM
Ha! thats funny Snap--I just last week had to write a paper for class on "three ways to increase public partipaction in CB4" and one of the three was to create a discussion board on their website (with CYB in mind) so that people who are unable to attend meetings during dinnertime, in the middle of the week, are still able to voice their opinion. Jonathan, is this something that could be estblished? some link between the two?
Re: 23rd Crosstown Bus Passenger Safety -
12-13-2006, 10:00 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by SNAP
My first thought is "All politics is local" (Daniel Patrick Moynahan [?]).
Nope... Tip O'Neil.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SNAP
would it be possible for some threads like this to be copied, in whole or in part, and forwarded to the people concerned
Yes, I think the easiest way to do that would be to copy the URL of this page and email it to anyone you want as a link. They can click on it and it will take them directly to this blog.
Re: 23rd Crosstown Bus Passenger Safety -
12-21-2006, 09:19 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by SNAP
The MTA recently did away with the east-bound 23rd Street crosstown bus stop at 23rd and 5th. To get a bus on Fifth toward the Village, one now has either to walk from Sixth Avenue or get off the M23 at Madison Avenue and navigate two VERY dangerous crossings over Broadway and then 5th. The alternative is to walk down Broadway to 22nd, go to Fifth and then walk back to 23rd. During late night hours, some - not all - of the crosstown drivers will let one off at 5th if requested.
I know this is on the edge of Chelsea (depending on border definitions!) but it affects Chelsea residents, and especially the elderly. This seems to be in line with the MTA decision a number of years ago to move the west-bound bus stop at 10th Avenue from in front of 465 to the west side of 10th forcing passengers to cross back to the west side of the Avenue to get the M11 going up 10th.
The rationale I heard for the 10th Avenue move was that it prevents accidents as other traffic turns in front of the stopped bus, but it seems to put passengers in harm's way and often cause them to miss a connecting bus.
Any comments?
___________________________________________________
You are wonderful to bring this to our attention. I will send a letter to MTA. After reading this, an elderly woman in a wheel chairs get off at Sixth Avenue so as to get to the Fifth Avenue bus stop. She was most distressed. Removing this partiicular stop is so illogical it boggles the mind. Who benefits? I remember when the crosstown bus stopped in front of 465 West 23rd. Now most of us have to walk back across a street frightened and wary of the turning drivers who come at us with impatience and without bothering to brake. Thanks again. EricAnd
This is ridiculous- any suggestions as to what to do to protest it?
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