Testimony: Thumbs Up for Port Authority Funding Q70 Rapid Bus to LGA
Thumbs Up for Port Authority Funding Q70 Rapid Bus to LaGuardia; Also Should Publish More Regional Transit and Traffic Data
Thank you for the opportunity to provide written comments for today’s board meeting. Reinvent Albany advocates for more transparent and accountable New York government.
It is welcome news for LaGuardia Airport workers and customers that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board (Port Authority) is moving forward with a budget that will fund faster, more frequent and more reliable service on the Q70 bus line. We thank Governor Kathy Hochul for pivoting away from the $2 billion AirTrain boondoggle towards this much more cost-effective and sensible solution.
According to the Governor’s announcement, the Port Authority collaborated with the MTA and NYC and NYS DOTs to develop a $160 million proposal that includes:
- Traffic signals that will prioritize the Q70 bus on Roosevelt Ave and Broadway
- An exclusive bus lane on the BQE between Northern Blvd and Astoria Blvd
- Increased frequencies during peak periods (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- A new bus pick-up and drop-off area with exclusive road access at Terminal C
- Wayfinding and lighting improvements at connecting subway and LIRR stations
- Enhanced branding and signage to promote the improved service
We look forward to seeing faster bus service to LaGuardia, and thank Governor Hochul and the Port Authority for moving this forward.
Lastly, we are reiterating our request with more than 30 other groups that the Port Authority publish open data about transit ridership and traffic patterns – including into the Manhattan Central Business District. Specifically, we asked for:
- Daily and weekly ridership data across all Port Authority systems, including PATH trains, buses, and paratransit.
- Service performance data, such as on-time performance for PATH trains and buses, and customer journey and travel times.
- Daily and weekly vehicle and crossing data, broken down by mode of transportation, across all Port Authority bridges and tunnels.
Release of this information will bring the Port Authority into alignment with sister agencies, such as the MTA in New York, CTA in Chicago, BART in San Francisco, and LA Metro, who regularly publish ridership and/or traffic data.