Today more than 2.5 million New Yorkers live more than half a mile from a subway stop. In these neighborhoods, the lack of transit has led to higher concentrations of drivers - contributing to congestion, air pollution, and global warming emissions; meanwhile, in many cases their development potential has never been realized.

Thousands of Bronx residents used to live along the elevated subway on Third Avenue before it was torn down decades ago. Today, many of the tenements that provided customers for that El are gone. If apartment buildings replaced the underutilized lots that remain, it could produce enough riders to justify installing more mass transit service.

But the lack of transit has prevented this development from occurring. By improving bus service along Webster Avenue, we can better connect residents to the subway system and the regional retail center at the area's main commercial center, the Hub, improve the quality of life for residents, and attract new investment in housing.

As one moves to the outer edges of the city, transit options become scarcer. By providing more neighborhoods with more travel choices, we will dramatically expand usable land within New York.

Progress (as of 4/22/08):
Phase 1of the 34th Street Bus Rapid Transit is scheduled to be implemented this summer and will support the Hudson Yards development (in addition to the 7 line extension) and the Moynihan Station project.