YORKVILLE — The East 86th Street crosstown bus stop at Second Avenue has been restored, the MTA announced on Friday, more than a month after the agency promised to put it back in service.
The MTA had told community members earlier this year that all the bus stops moved during construction of the Second Avenue Subway would be restored by the end of January, but it wasn't until residents complained that it finally began installing ticketing machines for Select Bus Service at the east- and westbound stops at 86th and Second Avenue.
When DNAinfo New York inquired about the missing stop on Tuesday, the authority blamed the delay on the fact that Con Edison had not finished connecting power to the area, but then later backtracked after a Con Ed spokesman said that there was no pending order because the work had already been done.
Service was up and running at the stop on Friday, the MTA tweeted.
M86 Select Bus Service now making stops at 86 St and 2 Av.
— NYCT Buses (@NYCTBus) March 10, 2017
Learn more about M86SBS here: https://t.co/UZi9ShTSZf pic.twitter.com/meDO8p9Nto
Neighbors last week said the lack of service on Second Avenue was hard on elderly and disabled residents, and illogical considering that it would provide crosstown access to the the new subway line.
► Still No M86 Bus Service on Second Avenue Despite Promise From MTA
The MTA did not return requests for comment on Friday.
City Councilman Ben Kallos, who has been pushing for the stops to be returned, posted photos on Thursday of MTA workers installing the ticketing machines.
Great to finally see fare machines installed at M86 bus stop on 86 st/2 ave. Thanks to @MTA @NYC_DOT @ShayeWeaver @Rebecca76AD for the help! pic.twitter.com/jrKtm6Qlp3
— Ben Kallos (@BenKallos) March 9, 2017