Schumer: In Light Of New DOT Study Showing Bus Lanes Barely Used By Buses, SI Expressway Must Be Open To Carpoolers

Schumer: In Light Of New DOT Study Showing Bus Lanes Barely Used By Buses, SI Expressway Must Be Open To Carpoolers

In light of a new Department of Transportation study showing that the bus-only lanes on the Staten Island Expressway are not being used to their full potential, today U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to allow carpoolers with three or more passengers to access it as a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. Schumer, joined by Borough President James Molinaro and City Councilman Michael McMahon, today took steps to ensure the project is completed quickly and effectively. They asked NYSDOT to immediately begin work on reconstructing the existing bus lane to be compatible for cars with 3 or more passengers and to also begin work extending the Bus/HOV lane the entire length of the Staten Island Expressway, from the Verrazzano Bridge Toll Plaza all the way to the Goethals Bridge. Schumer also pledged to help clear Federal regulatory hurdles and called for new enforcement mechanisms to be put in place to ensure that non-HOV drivers don't use the lane illegally.

"It's no secret that the Staten Island Expressway faces enormous traffic woes, and anything we can do to relieve the terrible congestion will help commuters enormously," Schumer said. "With at most 53 buses per hour in the bus-only lane, it's crystal clear that these lanes are not being used to their full potential. By better utilizing them, we have a terrific opportunity to make commuting less of a hassle for carpoolers. All that NYSDOT needs to do is read their own reports and they'll see that starting work on this project immediately should be a top priority. "

"The DOT study shows us that bus lanes are underutilized and could be used effectively for vehicles with at least 3 passengers. This change should be implemented right away. We all know that the rush-hour traffic on the expressway is absolutely unbearable. It is imperative that we find alternative ways to alleviate the rush-hour crush for commuters," said Councilman McMahon.

"I look forward to working with Senator Schumer as we move forward to establish the best possible use for the new lanes on the Staten Island Expressway," said Borough President Molinaro. "According to NYSDOT's study, an HOV3+ arrangement is feasible as long as drivers don't use the lane illegally. To ensure its proper usage, we need to develop provisions for enforcement that are no nonsense and without exception. This could mean building stationary patrol posts for the NYPD and increasing fines for traffic scofflaws."

In September 2005, Schumer and McMahon joined forces to call for the NYSDOT to open the newly constructed bus-only lanes to cars with 3 or more passengers. NYSDOT agreed to study this proposal and its findings (which have not been fully released to the public yet) show that it is both operationally and economically feasible.

Opened in November 2005, the bus lane runs both eastbound and westbound for 2.6 miles between Slosson Avenue and the Verrazzano Bridge Toll Plaza. Given NYSDOT's plans to extend the bus-only lanes the entire length of the expressway, from the Verrazzano Bridge Toll Plaza to the Goethals Bridge, Schumer called for the construction of this new lane to be compatible and accessible for HOV cars with 3 or more passengers (HOV 3+). This proposed model has already eased congestion in Brooklyn where bus-only lanes on the Gowanus Expressway are accessible to cars carrying at least 3 passengers. Extending the bus lane the length of the Expressway is estimated to cost $75 million; making the necessary upgrades to ensure that carpoolers could use that lane would cost an additional $15 million.

The new report compiled for NYSDOT by the consulting firm Parsons Brinkerhoff revealed that during peak rush hour, around 50 buses use the bus-only lane and 90 cars carrying 3 or more passengers use existing car lanes. Traffic congestion will be reduced if these cars with 3 or more passengers are allowed to share the bus lane and use it as a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. This option will also encourage more Staten Island residents to carpool, cutting down on congestion, pollution and gas expenses. The report concludes that expanding access to the bus-only lanes to cars with 3 or more passengers would increase the transportation value of these lanes for commuters, while not diminishing their intended usage as express lanes for buses. Although the NYSDOT report does not officially endorse any plan, it concludes that converting the bus-only lanes to HOV 3+ "would work from on operational standpoint and enhance the value of the priority lanes."

Given the feasibility and the value in opening the lanes which is documented in the report, Schumer, Molinaro and McMahon today condemned NYSDOT's recent comments that work would not begin until 2011 or 2012. NYSDOT originally planned to have all work done on extending the bus express lanes completed by 2008. In the last 18 months, that target date has moved back at least 4-5 years.

"These delays are unacceptable. Every time traffic on the expressway is stalled while a brand new lane sits empty, the collective blood pressure of Staten Islanders skyrockets. We started this project. Now it's time to finish it," said Senator Schumer.

Schumer today also renewed his commitment to work with the Federal Highway Authority (FHWA) to help this project clear all the regulatory hurdles. Last year, the FHWA assured Schumer that they would be open to taking steps to increase the capacity of these lanes and made a commitment to work with his office and NYSDOT as the plan proceeded. Schumer, Molinaro and McMahon also called on NYSDOT to work with the NYPD and to develop enforcement mechanisms to ensure the scofflaw-drivers didn't use the lane illegally. In particular, they requested that NYSDOT build permanent stationary enforcement patrol posts where the New York City Police Department could ensure only HOV 3+ cars were using the lane. They also called for an increase of the $90 fine currently in place to penalize drivers violating this rule.

Senator Schumer noted that Staten Island was the fastest growing county in New York State from 1990 to 2000, with significant population and economic gains expected over the next 30 years. At the same time, Staten Islanders have the longest average commute in the nation, averaging 43.8 minutes each way and endure the most frequent "extreme commutes" of 90 minutes or longer in the nation.

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/record.cfm?id=266143&&year=2006&