[M II A II R II K]

New York Has a Streetcar Plan That Isn't Totally Awful

Read More: http://www.citylab.com/commute/2016/...eetcar/459984/

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Michael Grynbaum of The New York Times reports that the proposed BQX runs 16 miles along the water from Sunset Park in Brooklyn to Astoria in Queens. It passes through a number of emerging residential, commercial, and employment centers. The connector connects two boroughs that deserve more direct connections (it’s a connector!) and would be situated near 45,000 public housing residents.

- So far so good. And Grynbaum reports that the design might “physically separate” the light rail vehicles from cars on the road. The existing renderings show no such barriers, but Kabak has been told that the city wants “more than 70 percent of the streetcar route to run on a dedicated right of way.” Also good. Better: 100 percent separation, with limited stops, and transit-signal priority. --- Ultimately it’s impossible to award a full point on mobility until the full plans show how well the BQX links into the existing subway network—both in terms of easy transfers and a shared fare system. If the services align well, that’s a real boost to outer-borough transit. If they don’t, it’s a real missed opportunity.

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