MTA announces Queens Bus Network Redesign project enters next phase

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) issued an update on the Queens Bus Network Redesign process after the conclusion of the New Draft Plan’s formal outreach period, consisting of virtual and in-person events.

The MTA collected more than 3,500 customer comments via an online comment portal, social media channels, phone, letters and Remix, an interactive web-based mapping tool, which has a commenting feature for route-specific feedback. MTA says the Queens Bus Network Redesign is one of the largest bus network redesigns in the country, with more than 100 routes serving almost 800,000 average weekday riders in 2019.

The input will be reviewed and ultimately shape the Proposed Final Plan expected to be released in 2023. The release of the Proposed Final Plan will include another round of outreach to continue to hear from bus customers and other stakeholders on the project. Over the course of this year’s outreach, MTA says the project team has engaged with community leaders, representatives and elected officials, keeping an open line of communication for feedback on behalf of their communities.

“The community’s input is such an invaluable part of the process, especially for a borough that has many residents that rely on the bus system” said New York City Transit Senior Vice President of Buses Frank Annicaro. “It’s a direct way for us to understand what Queens bus riders expect and need from a redesigned network. The team will take the next few months assessing all the feedback collected to incorporate into the Proposed Final Plan.”

Public outreach

Following the release of the New Draft Plan in late March, the authority held five virtual stakeholder briefings and 14 virtual public workshops, beginning April 18, in English and offered in additional languages including Bengali, Simplified Chinese, Korean and Spanish. Additional language interpreters, captioning and ASL were available at the virtual workshops upon advance request. Between the release of the New Draft Plan on March 29 and Aug. 31 the project's route profile webpages have been viewed approximately 67,000 times.

In July and August, the MTA partnered with the MetroCard mobile sales team at 15 locations throughout the borough to collect feedback on the Queens Bus Network Redesign’s New Draft Plan. MetroCard mobile sales vehicles connect with local communities on MetroCard-related questions. Members of the project team joined this existing service to connect with bus customers about the plan and the route proposals in their neighborhood.

Additionally, the MTA held five outdoor events across Queens to further raise awareness of the project and provide the public with additional opportunities to learn about the proposed changes, ask questions and comment on the plan.

More about the plan

The first part of the New Draft Plan is published in five languages and can be found online, along with a slideshow presenting key points of the plan, also available in multiple languages. Online route profiles for the New Draft Plan provide a detailed description of the proposed route changes, including:

• Corresponding subway and bus connections.
• A stop list showing which stops the route would serve and which are proposed to be removed.
• A map of the modified route showing exactly where service is added or discontinued, along with callout boxes explaining which routes would replace discontinued segments.

Online resources and informational material about the Queens Bus Network Redesign are available on the project’s main website, including links to the New Draft Plan and an interactive map that allows users to post comments directly on proposed bus routes and stops. All project webpages utilize the Google Translate tool, extending access to this information to more New Yorkers.

After the Proposed Final Plan outreach process is complete, the team will make final adjustments to the plan, hold a public hearing and present the plan to the MTA Board for a vote.