A coalition of transit advocates (including TSTC), community groups, labor unions and business organizations have come together to address transportation inequality by making sure Mayor de Blasio’s vision of 20 world-class BRT corridors becomes a reality in New York City.

The BRT for NYC Steering Committee is working with elected officials at the local and state level, focusing on areas which lack subway service, with growing employment opportunities, and where there’s the greatest risk of damage from natural disasters.

The MTA and NYC Department of Transportation are currently conducting community outreach events focused on implementing Select Bus Service (SBS) along the Woodhaven/Cross Bay corridor. The massive roadway, up to 10 lanes wide in some areas, has been on the NYC DOT’s radar for several years, as it is not only one of the borough’s most congested corridors, but also the most dangerous corridor for pedestrians in Queens. The roadway’s width, if used to its full potential, could easily accommodate a more robust BRT service and infrastructure.

The benefits of BRT over standard bus service have been well documented, but never quite in the way BRT for NYC has broken it down on their new website, which also launched today. Perhaps the most compelling argument for improving bus service is that time savings afforded by exclusive lanes and off-board fare collection means not just less time commuting, but also more time doing what we want to do: “Parents living in the outer boroughs will get to spend approximately 20 more minutes a day with their children if they commute via a BRT corridor along Woodhaven Boulevard.”