Traffic committee drafts letter objecting to Fourteenth Street busway permanent declaration without community process

The Community Board 2 Traffic Committee discussed and largely agreed on a draft letter objecting to the mayor’s announcement designating the Fourteenth Street busway as permanent without prior community consultation or completion of monitoring.

Shirley, speaking for the Traffic Committee, described edits she had made to soften language and remove excessive detail while preserving the core objection: the committee said the process requirements and monitoring have not been satisfied before a permanent designation.

Shirley said the draft will urge NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and the MTA to continue to address operational issues "as they arise" and to complete monitoring before making a final determination. Committee members debated tone and whether to include positive recognition of the need for improved bus service, with some members asking that language reflect both concern about process and support for transit improvements.

"We do need much more mileage in terms of buses, bus routes," Shirley said, noting that MTA has sought 60 miles of bus priority and the city committed to 20 miles; the committee wants clarity about how the busway fits into that program.

The committee recommended sending the letter and did not record a formal vote in the transcript; members said they would send a revised letter reflecting minor edits and then transmit it to DOT and MTA. The Traffic Committee also plans to invite MTA New York City Transit to brief the board at a future meeting on buses and subway plans.