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To the editor:
Traffic congestion in the city has increased, impacting local, limited stop, select and express bus service. Consider the connection between reductions in traffic speed and its relationship to the corresponding loss in street capacity. Over the past 22 years under Mayors Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams, more than 1,400 miles of traffic lanes have been eliminated.
This was due to the dramatic increase in the introduction of bike lanes, street calming projects, pedestrian plazas and outdoor restaurant sheds. Forcing buses to share less street space with cars, taxis, Ubers, Lyfts and UPS and FedEx trucks and other delivery and commercial concerns along with city agency vehicles has contributed to a decline in traffic speed in all five boroughs. It has also resulted in increased conflicts with pedestrians.
This is like cholesterol buildup that results in the hardening of the arteries. All of this contributes to increased gridlock, pollution and adverse impacts to bus service. In Manhattan, you can often walk faster than a bus!
Recent proposals by some elected officials calling to reduce speed from 25 to 20 miles per hour on many streets will only make things even worse.
Larry Penner
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