Res. No. 973
Resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to maintain weekend express service from Brooklyn to Midtown Manhattan beyond the scheduled June 30, 2005 termination date.
By Council Members Gentile, Barron, Comrie, Fidler, Gonzalez, Nelson, Palma, Seabrook and Weprin
Whereas, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) established weekend express bus service over the last three years reportedly, in part, to compensate for decreased subway service due to the Manhattan Bridge construction; and
Whereas, The MTA is planning to terminate weekend express bus service in Brooklyn after June 30, 2005 because no additional funding has been approved for continuing this service; and
Whereas, The MTA has argued that weekend express bus service to Brooklyn is no longer necessary due to enhancements made to subway service; and
Whereas, While the MTA contends that weekend express bus service to Brooklyn would be duplicative because the trip to and from Manhattan has been “expedited” along the subway lines, there are reasons why the express bus service is not duplicative; and
Whereas, Many of the 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 difficult for a wheelchair-bound MTA rider in several areas in Brooklyn to access a subway, while weekend express buses are wheelchair accessible; and
Whereas, Many people 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, 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; 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 from Brooklyn to Midtown Manhattan beyond the scheduled June 30, 2005 termination date.
RR
LS 2975
5/20/05