Res No. 325

Resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to maintain weekend express service on the X27 and X28 lines running from Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst to Midtown Manhattan beyond the May 31, 2004 termination date.

By Council Members Gentile and Yassky

Whereas, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) established weekend express bus service with the X27 and X28 buses in Bay Ridge and Bensonshurst over the last two years reportedly to compensate for decreased subway service due to the Manhattan Bridge construction; and

Whereas, The MTA is planning to terminate weekend express bus service on the X27 and X28 in Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst after May 31, 2004 because no additional funding has been approved for continuing this service; and

                     Whereas, The MTA has argued that weekend express bus service to South Brooklyn is no longer necessary due to enhancements made to subway service along the

N and D lines; and  

Whereas, While the MTA contends that express service to South Brooklyn would be duplicative because the trip to and from Manhattan has been “expedited” along the subway lines,  there are reasons why the subway enhancements are not duplicative; and

Whereas, Many of the South Brooklyn weekend express bus riders are senior

citizens or disabled persons who use the buses because there are no subway stations in the area with an elevator or escalator; and

Whereas, In many cases these riders would have to traverse several dozen steps to reach the platform, which is difficult for an elderly person or a disabled person, especially in the rain or snow, and

Whereas, It is impossible for a wheelchair-bound MTA rider in the area to access a subway while weekend express buses are wheelchair accessible; and

Whereas, Many people in the area also work on the weekends and rely on these buses to get to and from their jobs in Manhattan, including those traveling late at night and who do not feel comfortable taking the subway or taking long walks to and from the subway at these late hours; and 

Whereas, Subway service from  the Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst communities, even with recent improvements along the N line, is still seen as taking a long time to reach Midtown Manhattan; and

Whereas, Just as the City encourages tourists from around the world to visit the various attractions in Manhattan to foster the City’s economic growth, the City should preserve and not discourage access to these sites for our seniors and disabled persons who reside outside Manhattan; and

Whereas,  The cost to fund the operation of these weekend lines is approximately $1 million per year, which is a small amount compared to the funding needed to subsidize private bus lines in the outer boroughs and is a fraction of the $231 million the MTA has dedicated toward refurbishing and expanding the fleet of commuter trains operated by MetroNorth and the Long Island Railroad , now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, that the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to maintain weekend express service on the X27 and X28 lines running from Bay Ridge and Bensenhurst to Midtown Manhattan beyond the May 31, 2004 termination date.

RR; LS 801; 4/30/04