Residents: New Nostrand Ave. Bus Lane Causing Traffic
The new B44 Select Bus Service has snarled traffic on Nostrand Avenue, choking a key Brooklyn corridor and doubling travel times, local drivers and business owners say.
The express bus began rolling from Williamsburg to Sheepshead Bay in November, and though regular riders say it has sped up their commutes, others in the community are speaking out against the increased traffic they attribute to the new dedicated bus lane.
“It’s been a huge mess. I’ve been living on Nostrand for five years, and it’s not the same — it’s taken away from what Nostrand Avenue was,” said Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association President Jackee Namwila.
The dozens of members of her group are unhappy about the bus, she said.
“It creates a lot of noise, especially all the honking,” said Manwila, who owns NAMSI Healthcare Consulting on Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights. “Now it’s all traffic — it’s noise, noise, noise, so much noise pollution.”
The problem, critics said, is that the B44 Select Bus service runs in a new dedicated lane, forcing drivers into a single remaining lane on Nostrand and Rogers avenues. Drivers are supposed to get an extra lane during rush hour, when parking on the streets is banned, but many residents said the ban has not been enforced.
“There’s supposed to be two other lanes, but it’s just one because in the other everyone is parking,” said Diel Levin, 31, a saleswoman who commutes from her home in Crown Heights to Midwood for work. She said the formerly 12-minute ride now takes at least 25 minutes.
“I’m not against the bus lane,” Levin added, “but my issue is the way they enforce it…if they enforced the no parking, it would be a win-win.”
The city’s Department of Transportation has not received traffic complaints related to the new bus, a spokesman said.
A DOT study — presented to local community boards before the bus launched — said traffic along both Nostrand and Rogers avenues should not be negatively affected by the express bus and might even improve in some areas. The 9.3-mile north-south route is the seventh busiest in the city, with more than 42,000 weekday riders, about 9,000 of whom board in Crown Heights.
Despite the complaints from drivers, bus riders said they were grateful for the new service, which has eased their commutes.
“It’s 10 to 15 minutes faster,” said Quam Bobb, 28, who relies on the select bus to get from his home in Crown Heights to his workplace in Flatbush.
But representatives for former State Sen. Eric Adams and Councilman Jumaane Williams said they have been fielding concerns from their constituents about increased traffic ever since the new bus launched. Community Boards 8 and 3 have received complaints as well.
“It’s a 5-mile trip, but it takes 25 minutes,” said Marty Shine, 50, of his commute from his home on Empire Boulevard to work on Coney Island Avenue. “I can’t imagine how this is supposed to help us.”
lol daaaah
Who’s brilliant idea was this???
What else could it have caused.
NY is so backward in so many ways.
nostrand?
what about rogers? bedford? its been a disaster
time to put brooklyn back the way it was 5 years ago
Layla Tov
The lunacy of the new traffic patterns on Nostrand and Rogers Avenue boggles the mind.
How much business are the poor struggling business owners along the streets losing because customers have such a hard time just stopping for a few minutes to patronize a store!
Does anyone give a damn about these poor merchants. Sadik Khan – that’s who!!!
I’d like to know how much money it will cost to maintain all these fancy new lanes (special maroon Bus lane paint) and markings. In short order all those markings and paint will erode and become dangerous and another eyesore together with the potholes.
Does the city have extra precious dollars in it’s budget to continually upkeep this gift that will keep on giving?
Student
I go to school on Kings Highway, it used to take about 20 min, now it takes about 45-50 min. It’s ridiculous! “The city’s Department of Transportation has not received traffic complaints related to the new bus, a spokesman said.” That’s complete garbage, I call 311 twice a week to complain, especially about the cars parked in the “second” lane. This city is a joke!
Sam
The traffic is terrible.
Everyone should complain
awacs
NYC DOT: “Watch us not care.”
Yisroel
It is also very dangerous. Some cars do ride in the bus lane. If you want to make a right turn off of Niostrand Avenue, you have to be VERY careful that there is no car speeding in the deicated bus lane on your right side.
Unreal
The City wants car traffic off the streets. People who have a 5 mile commute should be taking public transportation, and leave the car at home. Cars in NYC are going to be a luxury in a few years.
commuter
it really depends on the time of day.
i took that bus from willy to ep at 2.45 it took not more than 5 minutes
flatbush/ch resident
it is a disaster, I dont know why they say the bus lane is quicker, when cars are double parked the buses have to wait to go in the regular single lane and get held back, also we now have to go on the local bus or take the train to brooklyn college if we want to go to avenue L, no super stop there any more.. For driving it takes l lot longer, I have now tried Brooklyn ave and even Albany ave, all takes much longer.. On Rogers coming from Flatbush, i used to get all the green lights, nice and smooth , now traffic all the way even in not rush hour. DISASTER, DISASTER
declasse' intelectual
#8: this part of the new administration’s policy as City Hall wants to eliminate all cars from the city
question
what about on vacation days, new years, etc. are we allowed to go on the bus lane????? some cars seem like they thought yes while others could not make up there minds so people were jumping in and out of the bus lane???? It now takes about 30-45 minutes to get to CH and before it took 18-20 minutes. Makes a big difference to get to school on time. They did not only take away a lane for the bus (Red lane) but also took away part of the road to make the sidewalk larger for the bus to park so it seems like 2 lanes.
48 yr in the hood
D O T HAS THERE HEAD IN THE GROUND
WHAT ABOUT ALLOWING 53 FEET TRACTOR TRAILERS IN THE FIVE BORROWS ?
DID YOU EVER SEE THEM TRYING TO MAKE A TURN ON NYC STREETS CRAZY
Rashba & Ran
I miss the old Limited B44 Bus that would go up NY Ave 2 the Wlmsbrg Brdg, wen it got 2 Willi it would make more local stops bet Flushing & the Willi Bridge now the SBS stops @ Flushing, Hewes & Taylor then goes 2 the Bridge. Also there r no more local stops even bet Hewes & Flushing, this is darn annoying. Bring back the limited & keep the SBS in Manhattan. Also u can’t even use ur MTA card on the SBS u have 2 buy a ticket & then wen they come 2 inspect if every1 got a ticket it slows the bus down. I miss the limited B44 bus soo much.