The Queens Bus Network Redesign has been finalized and will be implemented in 2 phases: one will start June 29 and the other will begin August 31. The route changes are minimal, but you should be aware of how it will affect your commute as a bus rider.

The Q38 being split off into the Q14 (right) makes sense, however, the route the Q14 takes once it passes Fresh Pond Road is not practical. The line is being sent down Eliot to Metro and then turning onto Forest, following the path of the Q39. This may actually be the most congested stretch in the area. That segment has always been a choke point for traffic. There are three traffic signals that, per DOT, cannot be synced with each other, resulting in a high volume of trucks, cars, and kids crossing the street in the morning and afternoon hours. You can be stuck there for 15 minutes or more waiting for the bus to turn onto Forest. Adding another bus route there would put twice as many people in this predicament. It would be faster for the Q14 to follow the current Q38 route to the Met Ave subway terminal or have the bus turn down Fresh Pond, which has a bus lane, to the subway next to the bus depot.

The Q39 and Q67 both terminate in LIC and although some subway transfers are preserved, several of them are taken away, lengthening commutes by requiring a lot more walking. Keeping the Q67 running to Queens and Queensboro Plaza stops would help riders from our area but that has been ruled out. More concerning than the route changes is that hundreds of bus stops across the borough are being removed to speed up the buses. This affects those with mobility issues the most.