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Read the press release here.

Staten Island Express Bus Route Redesign Could Cut 40 Minutes from Commutes

By Nicholas Rizzi | June 1, 2017 5:03pm
 The MTA released a redesign of Staten Island's entire express bus system that would cut down on routes and stops to streamline service and cut some commutes by up to 40 minutes.
The MTA released a redesign of Staten Island's entire express bus system that would cut down on routes and stops to streamline service and cut some commutes by up to 40 minutes.
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MTA

STATEN ISLAND — A planned redesign of the borough's entire express bus system could shave up to 40 minutes from commutes by cutting lines and streamlining routes, according to an MTA plan released Thursday.

The new system would only have routes to either Lower Manhattan or Midtown — cutting out ones that travel between Downtown and Uptown in Manhattan — and rely more often on Staten Island highways instead of local streets.

The MTA would also get rid of underused stops and lines, but keep the same number of buses in the system to help stop overcrowding and shorten wait times.

"Innovation and modernization is key to ensuring that New York’s transportation networks remain efficient and viable for the commuters that use them every day," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

"Working with local residents, we will be able to revamp express bus service to provide a smoother, quicker and more convenient commute for the Staten Island residents who depend on it."

The MTA started a study of all 51 bus lines on Staten Island in 2015 to improve service and change routes.

As part of the study, the agency held three public workshops, met with community leaders and elected officials, surveyed more than 2,000 express bus riders and held a "hackathon" to redesign the borough's bus system.

Through that process, the MTA found the express system — which launched in the 1960s — hasn't significantly changed since the 1980s and doesn't reflect current residents' commute patterns.

"Our commutes are extremely difficult," Borough President James Oddo said in a statement.

"Part of the problem is our outdated and inefficient bus routes. We can do better by the people of Staten Island and we can return back to them the precious commodity of time every work day."

The study found the average line makes about 27 stops before it ever leaves the borough and commuters said the network is overly complex with unreliable service.

The agency also found that 96 percent of riders end their trips in either Downtown or Midtown Manhattan, with only 4 percent getting off in between.

As part of the plan, the agency would cut cross-town routes and suggested the riders who get off in the middle to transfer to subways or local buses to get to their destination.

The new system would be easier to understand for riders and allow bus drivers to more easily change the route because of road incidents and delays, the agency said in the presentation.

A selection of the routes will still operate during off-peak and weekend hours, but the redesign did not make clear which ones.

The MTA asked for comments online on its planned redesign of the system and plan to public outreach meetings to get commuters' opinions on it.

Officials did not say when the routes would be implemented.

The agency plans to release recommendations for the borough's local bus routes later this year.