MTA plans bus, bike routes on East Side

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Department of Transportation presented plans earlier this month to make transportation more efficient for New Yorkers.

The project, known as the First/Second Avenue Select Bus Service, features a number of ideas to streamline travel for New York City residents, including plans to create bus-only routes and segregated bicycle paths along First and Second Avenues.

According to the report, the two avenues will receive bus-only lanes as well as bicycle lanes placed adjacent to the sidewalk and separated from the street by a pedestrian barrier.

There was some dispute between the project planners over whether the bus lanes should be completely segregated like the bike lanes will be. However, concerns that this would impede delivery trucks and cars seeking short-term parking, derailed the opposition's argument.

Despite these issues, the announcement comes as welcome news to many NYU commuters who rely on bikes to get to and from their classes. CAS senior Zach Clemencé said he might start biking along First Avenue now.

"First Avenue is like a highway; there is no place for bikers to hide," he said. "I like to ride my bike, but I avoid First Avenue because of that. A bike lane is ideal as it really insulates bikes from traffic, especially on these roads where cars travel very fast."

Ted Orosz, project director of the SBS, said this plan could have an even larger impact on the city's bus system.

"If you put buses in their own place, it could be that the regular traffic will actually move better," Orosz said. "What we're projecting is that buses will be going 20 percent faster."

Expediting the bus system in New York, which has long been an issue for the MTA, is accompanied by other plans as well. The MTA plans to begin using three-door buses and install ticketing machines at bus stops so travelers can pay their fares before boarding.

Safety is also a big issue addressed by the project.

According to an MTA report, between 2006 and 2008, after implementing bike and bus paths on Broadway, Ninth Avenue and Grand Street, pedestrian injuries on those streets decreased by 40 percent, 29 percent and 28 percent, respectively. The MTA hopes to see similar results with the SBS plan.

Orosz noted that although none of these plans are definite, he expects that the project will begin this fall.