Trick question. The answer obviously is nothing imaginative has been done by White Plains city government since it's inception.
White Plains lacks charm. This would be OK if it provided really efficient administration but it doesn't. It's both dull and charmless. Ugh.
So why live here? Manhattan is ridiculously expensive and most of us cannot afford Bronxville, Scarsdale, Armonk, etc. So here we are at the mercy of dull elected officials who are stuck with even duller city employees who are frozen in place.
Supposedly one substantive change was to be implemented this year in conjunction with the Transit Task Force. If anything happened, it's still a mystery. The obvious objective seemed to be finally changing the absurd one way mega streets into two way and to slow down traffic so that it felt less like pedestrians were walking on the side of an interstate highway. The only thing that slows down traffic are all those buses with a very low percentage of passenger seats occupied. What the heck is that about?
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Online Form Submittal: Downtown White Plains Transit District Study
| Comments? | Why have so many more buses been moving through downtown White Plains in 2016? How is that good for residents, especially regional buses, when there are no local buses to get around WP? |
| Ideas? | Get rid of the buses. WP train station has become the functional equivalent of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. |
| Concerns? | 2000-2016: what's the most imaginative thing done by WP city government? If nothing, fire commissioners like traffic and public safety. |
Monday, December 12, 2016
Not so strategic is the Downtown Task Force plan.
Mayor Roach and planning commissioner Gomez led tonight's presentation. Both are energetic, intelligent and sincere. Unfortunately, the entire activity is weighed down with traditional White Plains junk, namely adhering to the wishes of the existing sources of influence: people who live in houses outside of downtown. Especially influential are the hill associations, Battle and Fisher, especially Battle.
Blah, blah, blah.
That was pretty much the comments by all of tonight's speakers. But without realizing it, Roach and Gomez represented the narrow wishes of the geographically isolated and small number of people living on Battle Hill on the wrong side of the tracks. The city already has detailed plans for new street crossings for that constituency. Does any other neighborhood have that?
They think they got input from all sources but they only got Battle Hill, Fisher Hill and, of course, CNA, which Roach and Gomez will placate in yet another meeting tomorrow. I don't think they visited or heard from any condo, co-op or rental apartment building.
Typical telling point by Gomez: Battle Hill wants new downtown buildings angled so that Hill people can look through openings between them. No regard for the view of the new people who will be living in them; Gomez was oblivious to that. He thought he was showing open mindedness but what he actually showed was the silly undue influence of the very few people on Battle Hill who might actually have a view across the tracks of downtown White Plains. Most people on Battle Hill have no such view.
The MTA guy, who represents an entity that continues to embarrass itself and White Plains with that ridiculous clock tower with the wrong time, babbled about White Plains having all these regional buses coming into downtown. Neither he nor any of the others have ever seemed to wonder how the heck that benefits White Plains. You think someone hops off a Connecticut Transit bus and shops in White Plains or simply takes the Metro North train into Manhattan?
And those reverse commuters the mayor and MTA guy like to emphasize: are they actually coming to White Plains from Manhattan as implied or are they coming from elsewhere, both north and south? Many are leaving the train station around 11AM and walking up Hamilton Avenue or Main Street. I'm guessing that they are headed to jobs in retail sales or service, not some law office. I doubt they can afford the rents that new buildings will charge.
I walked past the dreary bus terminal at the White Plains train station today at about 4:30 PM. Many Westchester county Bee-Line buses, including doubles, were pulling in, all with almost no passengers. Who wants to live at the functional equivalent of Port Authority Bus Terminal?
These are just a few of the obvious contradictions and absurdities in the primitive plan. The mayor and planning commissioner want to dictate to developers all manner of detail. A fundamental problem is that they are way too influenced by narrow old line perspectives and worse, they don't realize it.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Comments to Downtown White Plains Transit District Task Force on new Port Authority Bus Terminal.
from: Ken
to: Downtown White Plains Transit District <transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov>
cc: Rob Astorino <ce@westchestergov.com>,
news12wc@news12.com
date: Wed, Dec 7, 2016 at 5:55 AM
subject: NYTimes: Battle Over New Bus Terminal Threatens to Paralyze Port Authority’s Board
Battle Over New Bus Terminal Threatens to Paralyze Port Authority’s Board
Imagine if the buses in White Plains had more than a few passengers. Like the private ones to places like Babylon Long Island.
How can Westchester county continue to claim thirty million passengers when there are so few riding it's Bee-Line buses in White Plains? Private buses have inundated downtown for people making more than minimum wage.
Have any of you ridden a Bee-Line bus this millennium? It's for poor people providing services to rich people. The massive influx of private buses into downtown White Plains is just more of decision makers in houses abusing people who live in apartments.
And you think millennials want that type of downtown? Living in the path of buses ... to Babylon? And countless near empty Bee-Line buses, including those ridiculous double buses?
to: Downtown White Plains Transit District <transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov>
cc: Rob Astorino <ce@westchestergov.com>,
news12wc@news12.com
date: Wed, Dec 7, 2016 at 5:55 AM
subject: NYTimes: Battle Over New Bus Terminal Threatens to Paralyze Port Authority’s Board
Battle Over New Bus Terminal Threatens to Paralyze Port Authority’s Board
Imagine if the buses in White Plains had more than a few passengers. Like the private ones to places like Babylon Long Island.
How can Westchester county continue to claim thirty million passengers when there are so few riding it's Bee-Line buses in White Plains? Private buses have inundated downtown for people making more than minimum wage.
Have any of you ridden a Bee-Line bus this millennium? It's for poor people providing services to rich people. The massive influx of private buses into downtown White Plains is just more of decision makers in houses abusing people who live in apartments.
And you think millennials want that type of downtown? Living in the path of buses ... to Babylon? And countless near empty Bee-Line buses, including those ridiculous double buses?
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Irony: City asks State for money for pedestrians and cyclists! To protect them from all the HUGE buses?
Irony abounds, as do HUGE buses, many on regional routes that now slash through downtown White Plains for no apparent reason. But wait. White Plains decision makers want to protect its most vulnerable residents.
Email message received:
Pledge your support for proposed bicyclist and pedestrian improvements in the White Plains Transit District by clicking here.
The City of White Plains is applying for a New York State Transportation Alternatives Program Grant that proposes to fund:
For more information about the City's grant application click here.
_______________________
You can't make up stuff like this. The current bike lanes are a joke. I've challenged the task force and Common Council to have group bike rides on the bike lanes, especially through the train station area ... without police escort. That has not occurred.
In addition to the many decades of high speed traffic on the dozen or so roads of at least four lanes that slash through downtown White Plains, there are now buses that park where bike lanes would be and drive, especially during evening rush hour, when, apparently, no Common Council member would dare to observe.
But, the current initiative can't hurt. At least it's lip service in the right direction, maybe intended to attract those thousands of millennials upon whom the City is counting to fill its coffers for decades to come but not proportionately burden its school system with, you know, children. Many of the new apartments to be built are too small for families and some are mere crash pads for transients.
Email message received:
| from: | WP Transit District transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.govvia mail148.suw12.mcsv.net | ||
| reply-to: | WP Transit District | ||
| to: | ken | ||
| date: | Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 10:54 AM | ||
| subject: | Support Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements in the White Plains Transit District |
Pledge your support for proposed bicyclist and pedestrian improvements in the White Plains Transit District by clicking here.
The City of White Plains is applying for a New York State Transportation Alternatives Program Grant that proposes to fund:
- Sidewalk Improvements
- Crosswalk Improvements
- A protected bike lane on Martine Avenue
- Cycle tracks on Hamilton Avenue and Main Street
- Expanded & secure bike parking in the Transit District
For more information about the City's grant application click here.
_______________________
You can't make up stuff like this. The current bike lanes are a joke. I've challenged the task force and Common Council to have group bike rides on the bike lanes, especially through the train station area ... without police escort. That has not occurred.
In addition to the many decades of high speed traffic on the dozen or so roads of at least four lanes that slash through downtown White Plains, there are now buses that park where bike lanes would be and drive, especially during evening rush hour, when, apparently, no Common Council member would dare to observe.
But, the current initiative can't hurt. At least it's lip service in the right direction, maybe intended to attract those thousands of millennials upon whom the City is counting to fill its coffers for decades to come but not proportionately burden its school system with, you know, children. Many of the new apartments to be built are too small for families and some are mere crash pads for transients.
Friday, October 7, 2016
Transit District scenarios A, B, C. Two demolish parking garage! Yippie!
Transmania unchained!
An interpretation of public presentation by White Plains planning commissioner Chris Gomez Sept. 28, 2016. Derived from video at transitdistrict.com
There is also PowerPoint stuff: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByAWC5bf9-kYRVNoWXNWN056QzA/view
Four WP city owned parcels east of train station:
- firehouse
- parking garage
- station lot (drop off/pick up)
- Bronx Street lot
Long Term Scenarios:
A:
- firehouse: no change
- parking garage: no change
- station lot (drop off/pick up): buildings
- Bronx Street lot: park
B:
- firehouse: building on south edge?
- parking garage: demolish garage; buildings
- station lot (drop off/pick up): park
- Bronx Street lot: buildings
Babbling about new "bus rapid transit" something. Argh.
C:
- firehouse: building on south edge?
- parking garage: demolish garage; buildings
- station lot (drop off/pick up): park and building
- Bronx Street lot: buildings
______________
Add parking on firehouse lot in B and C?
There are two private things immediately east, which were not mentioned:
- parking garage with the infamous county Bee-Line bus terminal on street level
- surface level parking lot north of Hamilton Avenue.
East of the private surface parking is church property that could be developed.
Demolition of the train station parking garage has been recommended here previously, so it's encouraging that demolition is being considered.
Also welcome was there was no mention of a new train station building. Wasting valuable space on such a relic would be foolish.
An interpretation of public presentation by White Plains planning commissioner Chris Gomez Sept. 28, 2016. Derived from video at transitdistrict.com
There is also PowerPoint stuff: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByAWC5bf9-kYRVNoWXNWN056QzA/view
Four WP city owned parcels east of train station:
- firehouse
- parking garage
- station lot (drop off/pick up)
- Bronx Street lot
Long Term Scenarios:
A:
- firehouse: no change
- parking garage: no change
- station lot (drop off/pick up): buildings
- Bronx Street lot: park
B:
- firehouse: building on south edge?
- parking garage: demolish garage; buildings
- station lot (drop off/pick up): park
- Bronx Street lot: buildings
Babbling about new "bus rapid transit" something. Argh.
C:
- firehouse: building on south edge?
- parking garage: demolish garage; buildings
- station lot (drop off/pick up): park and building
- Bronx Street lot: buildings
______________
Add parking on firehouse lot in B and C?
There are two private things immediately east, which were not mentioned:
- parking garage with the infamous county Bee-Line bus terminal on street level
- surface level parking lot north of Hamilton Avenue.
East of the private surface parking is church property that could be developed.
Demolition of the train station parking garage has been recommended here previously, so it's encouraging that demolition is being considered.
Also welcome was there was no mention of a new train station building. Wasting valuable space on such a relic would be foolish.
Pedestrian zone, like Paris along the Seine River.
Range Is All the Rage in Paris, as Electric Cars Steal the Show
By JERRY GARRETT OCT. 6, 2016 nytimes.com
Diesel’s inherently dirtier emissions are not welcome in Paris these days. To address the city’s notoriously bad air quality, the municipal government has since July 1 prohibited cars that were registered before 1997 from operating on the streets on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. By 2020, environmental activists predict, all diesels might be banned in Paris.
And the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has proposed expanding car-free areas. One just approved will transform a major thoroughfare along the Seine into a pedestrian zone.
_____________________
By JERRY GARRETT OCT. 6, 2016 nytimes.com
Diesel’s inherently dirtier emissions are not welcome in Paris these days. To address the city’s notoriously bad air quality, the municipal government has since July 1 prohibited cars that were registered before 1997 from operating on the streets on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. By 2020, environmental activists predict, all diesels might be banned in Paris.
And the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has proposed expanding car-free areas. One just approved will transform a major thoroughfare along the Seine into a pedestrian zone.
_____________________
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Downtown White Plains Transit District Public Meeting 9/28
Arrived 6:30 when the meeting was supposed to start. Sat last row center right in order to beat a hasty retreat.
The usual suspects were licking themselves and adjustments continued on projector. Amateur hour. Left 6:50.
Did anything meaningful occur?
White Plains is perpetually mediocre and disappointing. It can't help bumping into itself.
The invitation:
from: WP Transit District <transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov>
reply-to: WP Transit District <transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov>
to: ken
date: Wed, Sep 21, 2016 at 2:02 PM
subject: Downtown White Plains Transit District Public Meeting 9/28
Where:
ArtsWestchester
31 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY 10601
When:
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
6:30-8:30 PM
The invitation:
from: WP Transit District <transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov>
reply-to: WP Transit District <transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov>
to: ken
date: Wed, Sep 21, 2016 at 2:02 PM
subject: Downtown White Plains Transit District Public Meeting 9/28
Where:
ArtsWestchester
31 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY 10601
When:
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
6:30-8:30 PM
Sunday, August 7, 2016
72 foot long bus coming to White Plains?
Why not? Just about every other bus monstrosity already has. With no apparent oversight or control, downtown White Plains in recent months has been overrun with all manner of buses, in addition to the Westchester county Bee-Line, which supposedly will have even more of those ridiculous double buses.
The one thing that all these buses, both public and private, have in common: few, if any, passengers. Which makes the entire situation even more bizarre.
Oh, that 72 foot long bus. Just imagine it leaving the Transmania and cruising up Main Street onto Mamaroneck Avenue.
The one thing that all these buses, both public and private, have in common: few, if any, passengers. Which makes the entire situation even more bizarre.
Oh, that 72 foot long bus. Just imagine it leaving the Transmania and cruising up Main Street onto Mamaroneck Avenue.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Hail a bus. Hey, they have plenty of empty seats.
Has White Plains finally gotten around to letting taxi cabs cruise and be hailed by passengers?
Maybe the idle buses should do that. Let pedestrians flag them for local rides. The number of buses in downtown White Plains seems to increase every day. There are more and more buses pounding through the Transmania bus depot area and more parked illegally, especially on Hamilton Avenue outside Walmart.
Maybe the idle buses should do that. Let pedestrians flag them for local rides. The number of buses in downtown White Plains seems to increase every day. There are more and more buses pounding through the Transmania bus depot area and more parked illegally, especially on Hamilton Avenue outside Walmart.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Millennials to the suburbs on bikes?
Wow, the mayor and planning commissioner must be right:
Bike Lanes Are Bringing More Millennials to the Suburbs by Clare Trapasso July 20, 2016 6:00 am ET realtor.com
It’s what passes for conventional wisdom these days ...
_____________________
The task force and/or Common Council should do a sanity check.
Mount up as a group and ride bicycles around downtown White Plains on the bike lanes. Be sure to ride through the Transmania train station and bus depot area. Try it along the streets with the most buses.
Go ahead, I dare you. Then report back to the public on your experience.
What's that, you know improvements must be made? Improvements so massive and unimaginable by current planners, decision makers and administrators, that such a group ride would not be attempted without a police escort.
Until you've done this simple common sense thing, you have not even begun to deal with transforming the Transmania into something Earthlings might recognize as positive.
Bike Lanes Are Bringing More Millennials to the Suburbs by Clare Trapasso July 20, 2016 6:00 am ET realtor.com
It’s what passes for conventional wisdom these days ...
_____________________
The task force and/or Common Council should do a sanity check.
Mount up as a group and ride bicycles around downtown White Plains on the bike lanes. Be sure to ride through the Transmania train station and bus depot area. Try it along the streets with the most buses.
Go ahead, I dare you. Then report back to the public on your experience.
What's that, you know improvements must be made? Improvements so massive and unimaginable by current planners, decision makers and administrators, that such a group ride would not be attempted without a police escort.
Until you've done this simple common sense thing, you have not even begun to deal with transforming the Transmania into something Earthlings might recognize as positive.
Reduce parking to reduce traffic.
It's pretty basic common sense stuff. If you want to increase traffic to and near the Transmania train station and bus depot complex, continue to do what the City of White Plains seems compelled to do:
- establish and maintain massive multi-lane high speed roads
- build and maintain massive parking structures
- encourage and/or allow a sudden massive influx of buses to invade downtown with apparently no restrictions, oversight or even awareness.
Oh, wait. The buses are some rocket scientist's idea for reducing traffic. Yeah, that might seem to make sense in the abstract but here on planet Earth, Westchester County, people middle class and up wouldn't be caught dead on a bus. It's not at all like Manhattan.
On the other hand, if you reduced parking, such as by demolishing the municipal parking garage, then people would naturally figure out other ways to get to the Transmania. Why not let them, instead of bureaucrats, elected officials and consultants pretending to do that? Commuters might then demand stuff like Uber, buses that work for buildings and neighborhoods, whatever. Or they could simply ride the current buses. Those buses are almost empty almost all the time in White Plains. Of course, the buses might then need to run at times when people actually need them.
- establish and maintain massive multi-lane high speed roads
- build and maintain massive parking structures
- encourage and/or allow a sudden massive influx of buses to invade downtown with apparently no restrictions, oversight or even awareness.
Oh, wait. The buses are some rocket scientist's idea for reducing traffic. Yeah, that might seem to make sense in the abstract but here on planet Earth, Westchester County, people middle class and up wouldn't be caught dead on a bus. It's not at all like Manhattan.
On the other hand, if you reduced parking, such as by demolishing the municipal parking garage, then people would naturally figure out other ways to get to the Transmania. Why not let them, instead of bureaucrats, elected officials and consultants pretending to do that? Commuters might then demand stuff like Uber, buses that work for buildings and neighborhoods, whatever. Or they could simply ride the current buses. Those buses are almost empty almost all the time in White Plains. Of course, the buses might then need to run at times when people actually need them.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Ralph Kramden for County Executive.
At least he might know what to do about all those county Bee-Line buses in downtown White Plains:
- parked illegally
- driving "Not in Service"
- driving with almost no passengers.
Hey, Ralphie boy!
- parked illegally
- driving "Not in Service"
- driving with almost no passengers.
Hey, Ralphie boy!
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Bus commissioner?
Who the heck is in charge? Neither Westchester County nor the City of White Plains seems to have a responsible adult who knows why downtown White Plains is inundated with buses (public and private), many of which have taken to residential streets near the train station - bus depot area.
Many, maybe most, of these buses have either no passengers or hardly any passengers, which makes an inquiring mind wonder what the heck is actually going on. Is there any oversight? For the county Bee-Line bus system, who, if anyone, knows how and why our tax money is being spent?
http://transportation.westchestergov.com/contact-us
Department of Public Works and Transportation
100 East 1st Street
Mount Vernon, New York 10550
BeeLine@westchestergov.com
Smart Commute Program
Lawrence Cunningham, Program Specialist (914) 813-6718 llc7@westchestergov.com
Mary Ellen Burns, Program Specialist (914) 813-7741 mbb4@westchestergov.com
Naomi Klein, Director of Planning (914) 813-7758 nkk3@westchestergov.com
Craig Lader, Principal Planner (914) 813-7759 cmla@westchestergov.com
Many, maybe most, of these buses have either no passengers or hardly any passengers, which makes an inquiring mind wonder what the heck is actually going on. Is there any oversight? For the county Bee-Line bus system, who, if anyone, knows how and why our tax money is being spent?
http://transportation.westchestergov.com/contact-us
Department of Public Works and Transportation
100 East 1st Street
Mount Vernon, New York 10550
BeeLine@westchestergov.com
Smart Commute Program
Lawrence Cunningham, Program Specialist (914) 813-6718 llc7@westchestergov.com
Mary Ellen Burns, Program Specialist (914) 813-7741 mbb4@westchestergov.com
Planning Studies
Naomi Klein, Director of Planning (914) 813-7758 nkk3@westchestergov.com
Craig Lader, Principal Planner (914) 813-7759 cmla@westchestergov.com
_____________________________
White Plains Parking and Traffic
John Larson Commissioner jlarson@whiteplainsny.gov
Thomas Soyk Deputy Commissioner/City Transportation Engineer tsoyk@whiteplainsny.gov
255 Main St. (Annex Building)
White Plains, NY 10601 Ph: 914-422-1232
Thomas Soyk Deputy Commissioner/City Transportation Engineer tsoyk@whiteplainsny.gov
255 Main St. (Annex Building)
White Plains, NY 10601 Ph: 914-422-1232
______________________________
Let's send messages at all of them.
from: Ken
to: BeeLine@westchestergov.com,
llc7@westchestergov.com,
mbb4@westchestergov.com,
nkk3@westchestergov.com,
cmla@westchestergov.com,
jlarson@whiteplainsny.gov,
Tom Soyk <tsoyk@whiteplainsny.gov>
cc: transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov,
Rob Astorino <ce@westchestergov.com>,
letters@lohud.com,
news12wc@news12.com,
Benjamin Boykin <benboy78@aol.com>,
Alfreda Williams <awilliams@westchesterlegislators.com>
date: Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 12:14 AM
subject: White Plains, NY - Bus commissioner?
Let's send messages at all of them.
from: Ken
to: BeeLine@westchestergov.com,
llc7@westchestergov.com,
mbb4@westchestergov.com,
nkk3@westchestergov.com,
cmla@westchestergov.com,
jlarson@whiteplainsny.gov,
Tom Soyk <tsoyk@whiteplainsny.gov>
cc: transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov,
Rob Astorino <ce@westchestergov.com>,
letters@lohud.com,
news12wc@news12.com,
Benjamin Boykin <benboy78@aol.com>,
Alfreda Williams <awilliams@westchesterlegislators.com>
date: Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 12:14 AM
subject: White Plains, NY - Bus commissioner?
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Rename train station "Port Authority Bus Terminal like mess".
Might as well make it accurate and descriptive. The City of White Plains apparently has no interest in controlling the impact of regional issues that have encroached into its train station area, the one where it supposedly is trying to introduce something novel in White Plains: imagination.
It has all the imagination and charm of the mid town Manhattan Port Authority Bus Terminal.
The area looks like it has been invaded by bus driving creatures from outer space. Like some really bad 1950s science fiction movie with no plot, just empty buses deployed for no apparent reason. Hey, maybe they drove here from another planet. That would make more sense than a governmental entity planning and/or approving such activity.
It has all the imagination and charm of the mid town Manhattan Port Authority Bus Terminal.
The area looks like it has been invaded by bus driving creatures from outer space. Like some really bad 1950s science fiction movie with no plot, just empty buses deployed for no apparent reason. Hey, maybe they drove here from another planet. That would make more sense than a governmental entity planning and/or approving such activity.
Friday, July 1, 2016
Message to Common Council members about the state of downtown.
to: "Thomas M. Roach" <roachformayor@gmail.com>,
"Beth N. Smayda" <bsmayda@bethsmayda.com>,
"Dennis E. Krolian" <dkrolian@whiteplainsny.gov>,
"John M. Martin" <jmartin@whiteplainsny.gov>,
Milagros Lecuona <milagroslecuona@gmail.com>,
John Kirkpatrick <jkirkpatrick@oxmanlaw.com>,
Nadine Hunt-Robinson <nhrobinson@whiteplainsny.gov>
date: Fri, Jul 1, 2016 at 3:41 PM
subject: White Plains, NY
To: CC members
"Beth N. Smayda" <bsmayda@bethsmayda.com>,
"Dennis E. Krolian" <dkrolian@whiteplainsny.gov>,
"John M. Martin" <jmartin@whiteplainsny.gov>,
Milagros Lecuona <milagroslecuona@gmail.com>,
John Kirkpatrick <jkirkpatrick@oxmanlaw.com>,
Nadine Hunt-Robinson <nhrobinson@whiteplainsny.gov>
date: Fri, Jul 1, 2016 at 3:41 PM
subject: White Plains, NY
To: CC members
Maybe some of you have not been paying attention. Go back and read the blog posts of recent months. Then spend ten minutes on Barker Avenue and Water Street to get the impact of the HUGE buses that are taking over WP.
Or simply step outside of city hall. Buses are everywhere. Do you approve? CC members do not live anywhere near this mess but you should be alarmed. Are you? If not, why not?
White Plains is quickly devolving into that.
Monday, June 27, 2016
Can the city influence the routes of county Bee-Line buses?
Rhetorical question. Obviously, not, either because it's incapable or oblivious.
A couple of days ago at about 5:30 PM I observed a "Not in Service" Bee-Line bus speeding down residential Barker Avenue heading towards the Transmania bus depot at the train station. Nice. That bus could, of course, have been driven down non-residential Hamilton Avenue just as easily but given the binary decision the greater evil was chosen.
There appears to be complete and perfect apathy by White Plains policy makers. Residents of downtown apartments are necessary extras in their unimaginative script. We are not real. And the script calls for thousands more, ever younger and far more affluent. The well educated affluent young would never accept the old apartment buildings that are substandard in both their electrical and plumbing systems. All the new apartment buildings planned will have both electric stoves and washing machines in each overpriced apartment.
But will such millennials accept the treatment of current residents?
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Hamilton Avenue needs to be TWO way for cars as well as buses.
This is an absolute for whatever changes are made in the train station area. Instead of having all those cars speeding out of the garage onto Water Street, which becomes residential Barker Avenue, have them exit onto multi lane Hamilton Avenue.
In recent decades Hamilton Avenue has been one way from Martin Luther King Blvd. towards the train station. Obviously, this is to move cars through downtown White Plains as quickly as possible during the evening rush hour. Keeping it that way is assumed by almost all WP office holders and those seeking to become. That uniform thinking must end.
In recent decades Hamilton Avenue has been one way from Martin Luther King Blvd. towards the train station. Obviously, this is to move cars through downtown White Plains as quickly as possible during the evening rush hour. Keeping it that way is assumed by almost all WP office holders and those seeking to become. That uniform thinking must end.
Empty buses keep rolling, rolling, rolling.
Yesterday about 6 PM: four empty Bee-Line buses, one after the other, moving away from Transmania on Water Street. One continued up residential Barker Ave. towards residential North Broadway. The other three made a right onto Cottage Place.
What the heck?
What the heck?
Monday, June 20, 2016
Final analysis of Trainsmania mess: probable disaster.
Email Sent:
White Plains, NY: Trancenter task force: three points of failure.
http://white-plains-ny.
White Plains, NY: Trancenter task force: three points of failure.
| from: | Ken | ||
| to: | transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov | ||
| date: | Mon, Jun 20, 2016 at 4:41 PM |
http://white-plains-ny.
This is pretty much my final analysis. Everything is pointing to total failure. Trying to protect the current city center is part of the problem. Another is the willingness of decision makers to let the train station area become even more a downtown armpit than it has been for decades with the delusion that millennials will save the day and live in the armpit with all the charm of the mid town Port Authority Bus Terminal.
________________________
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
 |
| Port Authority Bus Terminal Manhattan |
NOBODY is his/her right mind wants to live near a bus depot, which currently exits at the White Plains train station ...
________________________Will anyone ride Bee-Line bus to County Center for three days of graduations this week?
Email Sent:
White Plains, NY: Why does everyone DRIVE to the County Center?
http://white-plains-ny.
White Plains, NY: Why does everyone DRIVE to the County Center?
| from: | Ken | ||
| to: | Rob Astorino transitdistrict@whiteplainsny.gov | ||
| cc: | news12wc@news12.com, letters@lohud.com | ||
| date: | Mon, Jun 20, 2016 at 4:25 PM | ||
| subject: | White Plains, NY: Why does everyone DRIVE to the County Center? |
http://white-plains-ny.
I learned today that the County Center East parking lot will be closed at least to daily parkers for three days because of graduation events.
If you want to see what I described in my post, just check out the total mess that will happen June 22, 23, 24.
Why will it be a mess? The primary reason is that the Bee-Line county bus system is a total joke and no one wants to address that for multiple reasons, including some that are not discussed in polite circles.
Plenty of near empty Bee-Line buses will drive past and near the County Center during those three days with few, if any, passengers using them to arrive at the graduation events. Too bad local media is too lazy to investigate and hold county officials accountable for Bee-Line buses running constantly with so few passengers.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
New Hudson River bridge brings more buses to train station: good or bad?
City planning commissioner Gomez seems to think that's a good thing. I think it's probably a bad thing.
newnybridge.com
As documented here in many posts downtown White Plains is already overrun by big buses that have few, if any, passengers. Buses coming over the new bridge will head to White Plains only because the new bridge is not designed to let them easily go to an MTA Hudson line train station. So the next best thing is to have the buses drive on Interstate Highway 287 towards White Plains.
My issue is why have those buses go all the way into residential downtown? Why not have them terminate in one of those supposedly obsolete corporate parks, then disperse passengers using the county bus system, the Bee-Line.
My guess is that a very high percentage of rush hour passengers from across the river will go from the bus directly onto the MTA train at the White Plains train station and into Manhattan. White Plains will get more congestion and pollution but no benefit.
It's like permitting passersby to use your bathroom. Maybe nice for them but not nice for you.
It's the underlying problem that's being ignored in the redesign of the train station area: buses. It's a big bus depot now and it will only get worse. That area will be the arm pit of downtown. The City is trying to put lipstick on a pig.
newnybridge.com
As documented here in many posts downtown White Plains is already overrun by big buses that have few, if any, passengers. Buses coming over the new bridge will head to White Plains only because the new bridge is not designed to let them easily go to an MTA Hudson line train station. So the next best thing is to have the buses drive on Interstate Highway 287 towards White Plains.
My issue is why have those buses go all the way into residential downtown? Why not have them terminate in one of those supposedly obsolete corporate parks, then disperse passengers using the county bus system, the Bee-Line.
My guess is that a very high percentage of rush hour passengers from across the river will go from the bus directly onto the MTA train at the White Plains train station and into Manhattan. White Plains will get more congestion and pollution but no benefit.
It's like permitting passersby to use your bathroom. Maybe nice for them but not nice for you.
It's the underlying problem that's being ignored in the redesign of the train station area: buses. It's a big bus depot now and it will only get worse. That area will be the arm pit of downtown. The City is trying to put lipstick on a pig.
Friday, June 17, 2016
Federal "DOT Announces up to $42 Million in Connected Vehicle Technologies".
There's got to be an explanation for all those buses in downtown White Plains with almost zero passengers.
https://www.transportation.gov/grants
Message sent as feedback:
I live in Westchester County in New York. I see more and more buses driving through downtown White Plains with almost no passengers. These are county buses but also all types of private buses. Does the federal government subsidize buses in a way that promotes their driving regardless of ridership?
____________________
Or it could just be waste, fraud and abuse. Maybe federal legislators know. County officials could care less.
https://www.transportation.gov/grants
Message sent as feedback:
I live in Westchester County in New York. I see more and more buses driving through downtown White Plains with almost no passengers. These are county buses but also all types of private buses. Does the federal government subsidize buses in a way that promotes their driving regardless of ridership?
____________________
Or it could just be waste, fraud and abuse. Maybe federal legislators know. County officials could care less.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Management is not planning: poised for a repeat of past failures. Rawhide!
There's another public meeting of the Transcenter task force this week. My understanding is that it will be another consultant defined audience participation in which regular civic minded people form small groups and come up with a bunch of mini consensus ideas that show zero imagination, ignoring obvious issues like downtown White Plains being turned into a gathering place for all manner of buses that carry few if any passengers.
So, on we go.
Where do we put the train station?
Where to we put all those new parking spaces?
Where to construct those high priced luxury rental apartment buildings that will be occupied by those highly paid millennials who will walk everywhere and add tons of money to the city school system but without burdening it with children of their own in their small apartments?
Plop the millennial worker office buildings on top of all that and, oh, make plenty of room for the bus depots, especially the ones for regional buses that will cross the new Hudson River bridge and enter White Plains for the sole purpose of connecting the passengers with Metro North into Manhattan.
But whatever you do, do NOT make the train station area either the new center of the municipality as it is on pretty much all the other train stops on that line nor functionally independent. Twenty years ago Common Council members forced the City Center developer to include that now ridiculed entrance/exit on Mamaroneck Avenue so that people would be inclined to also frequent existing retail businesses outside. That entrance/exit is now undergoing a restructuring and valet parking is being added, which will all but eliminate any exposure to businesses outside the City Center. All the better to insulate the decision makers from the impact of their policies on downtown generally and on downtown residents specifically.
Will White Plains ever actually change those pseudo interstate highways (Hamilton Avenue, Main Street, Martine Avenue) between the City Center and train station into anything that's really different? Make any of them look like Park Avenue in Manhattan as has been suggested here?
Remember that cars are the only things that really matter in White Plains. So make more lanes and more parking. Move 'em. Park 'em. Head 'em up. Move 'em out. Rawhide! (Western TV Series (1959–1965))
So, on we go.
Where do we put the train station?
Where to we put all those new parking spaces?
Where to construct those high priced luxury rental apartment buildings that will be occupied by those highly paid millennials who will walk everywhere and add tons of money to the city school system but without burdening it with children of their own in their small apartments?
Plop the millennial worker office buildings on top of all that and, oh, make plenty of room for the bus depots, especially the ones for regional buses that will cross the new Hudson River bridge and enter White Plains for the sole purpose of connecting the passengers with Metro North into Manhattan.
But whatever you do, do NOT make the train station area either the new center of the municipality as it is on pretty much all the other train stops on that line nor functionally independent. Twenty years ago Common Council members forced the City Center developer to include that now ridiculed entrance/exit on Mamaroneck Avenue so that people would be inclined to also frequent existing retail businesses outside. That entrance/exit is now undergoing a restructuring and valet parking is being added, which will all but eliminate any exposure to businesses outside the City Center. All the better to insulate the decision makers from the impact of their policies on downtown generally and on downtown residents specifically.
Will White Plains ever actually change those pseudo interstate highways (Hamilton Avenue, Main Street, Martine Avenue) between the City Center and train station into anything that's really different? Make any of them look like Park Avenue in Manhattan as has been suggested here?
Remember that cars are the only things that really matter in White Plains. So make more lanes and more parking. Move 'em. Park 'em. Head 'em up. Move 'em out. Rawhide! (Western TV Series (1959–1965))
Thursday, June 9, 2016
CNA meeting about Parking, Traffic & Transportation far away from them.
From an email message:
from: WPCNA rsvp@wpcna.org
reply-to: WPCNA rsvp@wpcna.org
date: Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 8:09 PM
Talk Parking, Traffic & Transportation with Commissioners Larson & Soyk
The June Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 7:30 pm at Education House, 5 Homeside Lane, White Plains, NY. Our guests will be Parking & Traffic Commissioner John Larson and Thomas Soyk, the Deputy Commissioner and City Transportation Engineer.
______________________
Irony abounds. Maybe the commissioners and attendees will arrive via Bee-Line county buses, which have very few passengers, if any, when traveling through downtown White Plains. Of course, the CNA (Council of Neighborhood Associations) wouldn't be caught dead conducting a meeting downtown. People who, you know, live downtown might show up.
Those downtown people might even express views that differ from the "We came over on the Mayflower" bunch who have run White Plains for at least half of its 100 official years.
Those of us who live in downtown apartments are too dumb and lazy to exert any influence over commissioner types so we get what we deserve: quality of life policies such as MEGA buses roaring along residential streets downtown, which provide service to very few White Plains residents. The buses also park pretty much wherever they want ... downtown. There probably will not be any buses anywhere near that upcoming CNA meeting.
Attendees will undoubtedly lobby for more high speed road access to newer parking garages at the Transmania center, aka, train station with its adjacent bus depots, 8th Avenue Port Authority style.
from: WPCNA rsvp@wpcna.org
reply-to: WPCNA rsvp@wpcna.org
date: Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 8:09 PM
Talk Parking, Traffic & Transportation with Commissioners Larson & Soyk
The June Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 7:30 pm at Education House, 5 Homeside Lane, White Plains, NY. Our guests will be Parking & Traffic Commissioner John Larson and Thomas Soyk, the Deputy Commissioner and City Transportation Engineer.
______________________
Irony abounds. Maybe the commissioners and attendees will arrive via Bee-Line county buses, which have very few passengers, if any, when traveling through downtown White Plains. Of course, the CNA (Council of Neighborhood Associations) wouldn't be caught dead conducting a meeting downtown. People who, you know, live downtown might show up.
Those downtown people might even express views that differ from the "We came over on the Mayflower" bunch who have run White Plains for at least half of its 100 official years.
Those of us who live in downtown apartments are too dumb and lazy to exert any influence over commissioner types so we get what we deserve: quality of life policies such as MEGA buses roaring along residential streets downtown, which provide service to very few White Plains residents. The buses also park pretty much wherever they want ... downtown. There probably will not be any buses anywhere near that upcoming CNA meeting.
Attendees will undoubtedly lobby for more high speed road access to newer parking garages at the Transmania center, aka, train station with its adjacent bus depots, 8th Avenue Port Authority style.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Is there a sound if no one hears it? Is the Bee-Line bus system inefficient and/or corrupt if no one pays attention?
Or, from the play/movie 1776:
"Is anybody there? Does anybody care?"
The Westchester County executive and legislators don't care. The county District Attorney does not use electronic digital communication. The DA must not really want to receive messages from residents.
Bee-Line (and all sorts of other buses) continue to rumble through downtown White Plains. A good guess is the the percentage of seats occupied is below 10.
Are these bus companies simply running empty to collect federal money? Could some paid media type put a little effort into checking? It's easy enough to make the same observations that I do. Just walk around White Plains some time. Any time. Unless you don't care.
"Is anybody there? Does anybody care?"
The Westchester County executive and legislators don't care. The county District Attorney does not use electronic digital communication. The DA must not really want to receive messages from residents.
Bee-Line (and all sorts of other buses) continue to rumble through downtown White Plains. A good guess is the the percentage of seats occupied is below 10.
Are these bus companies simply running empty to collect federal money? Could some paid media type put a little effort into checking? It's easy enough to make the same observations that I do. Just walk around White Plains some time. Any time. Unless you don't care.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Move buses west of train station.
Since pretty much everone seems OK with buses reducing the quality of life in downtown White Plains, here's a suggestion about how to deal with it: move them back where they were decades ago.
There's a small one block area between Hamilton Avenue and Main Street on the west side of the train tracks that is now all but abandoned by the buses it once served. How and why those regional buses were allowed to intrude into urban life on the east side of the tracks is lost to history.
That area is not large enough for the ever increasing number of regional and private chartered buses that speed along residential streets including Barker Avenue, North Broadway, Park Avenue. There are two areas along route 119 that could be used.
There is still a lot of vacant land on the west side of 119 between Hamilton and the County Center. Some housing was recently and mindlessly built there. It's unimaginable who would want to live adjacent to about ten lanes of traffic.
The other area is what is euphemistically called the west parking lot for the County Center. You know, that ridiculous metered area that everyone wants to avoid. Of course, Westchester County would have to provide that land for the greater good of the train station redevelopment, something that seems anathema to the County Executive and his band of bureaucrats.
This wouldn't really impact the Battle Hill area but that CNA group would doubtless oppose.
There's a small one block area between Hamilton Avenue and Main Street on the west side of the train tracks that is now all but abandoned by the buses it once served. How and why those regional buses were allowed to intrude into urban life on the east side of the tracks is lost to history.
That area is not large enough for the ever increasing number of regional and private chartered buses that speed along residential streets including Barker Avenue, North Broadway, Park Avenue. There are two areas along route 119 that could be used.
There is still a lot of vacant land on the west side of 119 between Hamilton and the County Center. Some housing was recently and mindlessly built there. It's unimaginable who would want to live adjacent to about ten lanes of traffic.
The other area is what is euphemistically called the west parking lot for the County Center. You know, that ridiculous metered area that everyone wants to avoid. Of course, Westchester County would have to provide that land for the greater good of the train station redevelopment, something that seems anathema to the County Executive and his band of bureaucrats.
This wouldn't really impact the Battle Hill area but that CNA group would doubtless oppose.
Downtown bus problem ignored by all.
The Westchester County executive does not want to address the suggestion in this blog that the county's Bee-Line bus system is very inefficient and/or corrupt. Neither do two county legislators who represent White Plains.
The White Plains mayor and planning commissioner are in their own little world, ignoring the ever increasing buses, including the Bee-Line, which have established squatting rights in downtown in areas that are off limits to most other vehicles. The noise and general assault on the quality of life downtown by all these buses is also ignored by the residents, so it's little wonder that elected officials and their bureaucrats feel immune.
The bottom line: what percent of White Plains residents take any of these buses relative to the total miles the buses travel within White Plains? All these buses seem to add little if anything to White Plains and they obviously have a very negative impact on the urban residents who live downtown and are governed by people who live in houses safely away from the results of their policies.
The White Plains mayor and planning commissioner are in their own little world, ignoring the ever increasing buses, including the Bee-Line, which have established squatting rights in downtown in areas that are off limits to most other vehicles. The noise and general assault on the quality of life downtown by all these buses is also ignored by the residents, so it's little wonder that elected officials and their bureaucrats feel immune.
The bottom line: what percent of White Plains residents take any of these buses relative to the total miles the buses travel within White Plains? All these buses seem to add little if anything to White Plains and they obviously have a very negative impact on the urban residents who live downtown and are governed by people who live in houses safely away from the results of their policies.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Bee-Line bus system: "backbone of Westchester Employment"? Or a joke?
Message left at:
http://blog.tstc.org/2011/07/26/bee-line-revealed-as-backbone-of-westchester-employment/
My comment:
In White Plains Bee-Line buses are either:
- "not in service"
- parked on Hamilton Avenue
- running with almost no passengers.
This bus system is a joke that suggests:
- massive incompetence
- corruption
_______________________
Another message intended for Nadine Lemon, the writer of the mentioned above:
http://blog.tstc.org/contact-us/
Nadine,
Please read some of the posts on the Bee-Line on my blog. I'd like your perspective. I've sent messages to the Westchester County Executive, two County legislators representing White Plains, the WP task force for redeveloping the area near the train station and bus depots. No one seems to want to even consider dealing with my observations about the Bee-Line.
It has almost no passengers in White Plains. Relative to capacity, its ridership percentage must be very low. Check it out.
_________________________
http://blog.tstc.org/2011/07/26/bee-line-revealed-as-backbone-of-westchester-employment/
Bee-Line Revealed as Backbone of Westchester Employment
My comment:
In White Plains Bee-Line buses are either:
- "not in service"
- parked on Hamilton Avenue
- running with almost no passengers.
This bus system is a joke that suggests:
- massive incompetence
- corruption
_______________________
Another message intended for Nadine Lemon, the writer of the mentioned above:
http://blog.tstc.org/contact-us/
Nadine,
Please read some of the posts on the Bee-Line on my blog. I'd like your perspective. I've sent messages to the Westchester County Executive, two County legislators representing White Plains, the WP task force for redeveloping the area near the train station and bus depots. No one seems to want to even consider dealing with my observations about the Bee-Line.
It has almost no passengers in White Plains. Relative to capacity, its ridership percentage must be very low. Check it out.
_________________________
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
True/False: "Bee-Line is Westchester County's bus system, serving over 30 million passengers annually"
That's what the Westchester website states:
http://transportation.westchestergov.com/bee-line
30,000,000 30 million!
It just seems unimaginable given the lack of passengers using the Bee-Line in downtown White Plains, which is geographically in the center of the county, has the most shopping and has the most used Metro North train station, which is located next to the Bee-Line bus depot.
Do Westchester County legislators exercise any real oversight of the Bee-Line or have they been rubber stamping an inefficient system for years? Or worse? What could be worse? Worse would be if the many 2016 candidates for Westchester County District Attorney didn't at least look into this for possible corruption.
Many messages have been sent to the County Executive. No reply.
Individual messages have been sent to two County Legislators for White Plains. No reply.
See many previous posts for more details.
http://transportation.westchestergov.com/bee-line
30,000,000 30 million!
It just seems unimaginable given the lack of passengers using the Bee-Line in downtown White Plains, which is geographically in the center of the county, has the most shopping and has the most used Metro North train station, which is located next to the Bee-Line bus depot.
Do Westchester County legislators exercise any real oversight of the Bee-Line or have they been rubber stamping an inefficient system for years? Or worse? What could be worse? Worse would be if the many 2016 candidates for Westchester County District Attorney didn't at least look into this for possible corruption.
Many messages have been sent to the County Executive. No reply.
Individual messages have been sent to two County Legislators for White Plains. No reply.
See many previous posts for more details.
12 parks? Name 'em.
http://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/
Explore White Plains' Many Parks with 'Passport to Parks'
Truck Day? What the heck?
http://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/DocumentCenter/View/1827
This passport will encourage you to visit 12 fabulous city parks ...
____________________
If there's one thing that downtown White Plains lacks it's parks. There is ONE: between Lake Street and Main Street. That thing on North Broadway between Main and Hamilton Avenue is a really nice center divider whose width is the same as the four road lanes on each of its two long sides. If the west side of Central Park in Manhattan had a comparably wide group of lanes they would extend to about the Hudson River.
New York City also includes small strips of land in its count of "parks" but it also has large botanical gardens in Brooklyn and the Bronx and, of course, Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
A central park is exactly what White Plains lacks. It should have been created at the site of the unsightly Galleria indoor shopping mall between Main Street and Martine Avenue. Evacuation and controlled demolition are the only real solution to that mess.
But even if that occurred, what are the chances that City decision makers would make a comparable mistake with that second chance? About 100%.
They seem intent on doing that with the development of the barren area near the train station, bus depots mess. Basically, rearrange the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. More parking, new "station" structure, probably office buildings. It's unimaginable that developers would consider erecting apartment buildings above and/or adjacent to the ever expanding and underutilized bus depots.
I sent a message to the City Parks employee whose email ID was posted in the message about the 12 parks. After five days just two dysfunctional auto replies suggesting something is amiss with the City computer network. Maybe the network admin person is out enjoying one of the dozen parks ... or looking for them.
Explore White Plains' Many Parks with 'Passport to Parks'
Looking for something fun and adventurous to do this summer with the kids? The WP Rec & Parks Dept has the solution: Passport to Parks. It's a safe, fun way to travel, explore & discover White Plains parks. Pick-up your Passport this Sat @ Truck Day! Additional Info...
_____________________Truck Day? What the heck?
http://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/DocumentCenter/View/1827
This passport will encourage you to visit 12 fabulous city parks ...
____________________
If there's one thing that downtown White Plains lacks it's parks. There is ONE: between Lake Street and Main Street. That thing on North Broadway between Main and Hamilton Avenue is a really nice center divider whose width is the same as the four road lanes on each of its two long sides. If the west side of Central Park in Manhattan had a comparably wide group of lanes they would extend to about the Hudson River.
New York City also includes small strips of land in its count of "parks" but it also has large botanical gardens in Brooklyn and the Bronx and, of course, Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
A central park is exactly what White Plains lacks. It should have been created at the site of the unsightly Galleria indoor shopping mall between Main Street and Martine Avenue. Evacuation and controlled demolition are the only real solution to that mess.
But even if that occurred, what are the chances that City decision makers would make a comparable mistake with that second chance? About 100%.
They seem intent on doing that with the development of the barren area near the train station, bus depots mess. Basically, rearrange the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. More parking, new "station" structure, probably office buildings. It's unimaginable that developers would consider erecting apartment buildings above and/or adjacent to the ever expanding and underutilized bus depots.
I sent a message to the City Parks employee whose email ID was posted in the message about the 12 parks. After five days just two dysfunctional auto replies suggesting something is amiss with the City computer network. Maybe the network admin person is out enjoying one of the dozen parks ... or looking for them.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Bee Line (Bee-Line): waste, fraud and abuse?
It's got to be at least one.
http://transportation.westchestergov.com/bee-line
The Bee-Line is Westchester County's bus system, serving over 30 million passengers annually ...
______________________
30 million? How can that possibly be when the Bee Line buses in White Plains, the heart of Westchester County, are never full. Those observed at or near the Bee Line bus depot at the White Plains train station hardly have any passengers. And, as had been mentioned in several recent posts, MANY Bee Line buses both sit around and drive around downtown White Plains proudly showing the sign "Not in Service".
So, a reasonable conclusion is that the Bee Line bus system is run very inefficiently. But is it worse than municipal incompetence? Is there criminal activity such as bribes?
The many candidates to fill the job of Westchester County District Attorney should at least address this during the election campaign ... unless they'd be investigating friends and allies.
http://transportation.westchestergov.com/bee-line
The Bee-Line is Westchester County's bus system, serving over 30 million passengers annually ...
______________________
30 million? How can that possibly be when the Bee Line buses in White Plains, the heart of Westchester County, are never full. Those observed at or near the Bee Line bus depot at the White Plains train station hardly have any passengers. And, as had been mentioned in several recent posts, MANY Bee Line buses both sit around and drive around downtown White Plains proudly showing the sign "Not in Service".
So, a reasonable conclusion is that the Bee Line bus system is run very inefficiently. But is it worse than municipal incompetence? Is there criminal activity such as bribes?
The many candidates to fill the job of Westchester County District Attorney should at least address this during the election campaign ... unless they'd be investigating friends and allies.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Why does everyone DRIVE to the County Center?
Yesterday there was one of those rare events, probably a graduation, that actually fills the County Center parking lot, which is oddly on the opposite side of the Bronx River Parkway. There was massive gridlock from Route 119 and the county police with no plan to deal with the mess.
But here's the thing. There was no indication of anyone arriving by train or bus. None. EVERYONE drove, probably even some from places with easy access to train stations that could provide service to White Plains.
Obviously, the intersection needs to be changed and policed properly ... after several decades of this. But attitudes should also be changed.
So why is there no plan to make Westchester residents aware of how easy it is to get to White Plains by train? The Bee Line bus is more problematic, as it has the sigma of being for poor people, but the train is used by all kinds of people to get to Manhattan. It's just not used enough to get to White Plains for events or shopping. Service workers take the train, seemingly much more than the Bee Line, which along with other types of buses, has been the subject of many recent posts questioning its very existence.
Raising public awareness above zero is a good idea. Which public official will take the initiative? County executive? Mayor? ...?
But here's the thing. There was no indication of anyone arriving by train or bus. None. EVERYONE drove, probably even some from places with easy access to train stations that could provide service to White Plains.
Obviously, the intersection needs to be changed and policed properly ... after several decades of this. But attitudes should also be changed.
So why is there no plan to make Westchester residents aware of how easy it is to get to White Plains by train? The Bee Line bus is more problematic, as it has the sigma of being for poor people, but the train is used by all kinds of people to get to Manhattan. It's just not used enough to get to White Plains for events or shopping. Service workers take the train, seemingly much more than the Bee Line, which along with other types of buses, has been the subject of many recent posts questioning its very existence.
Raising public awareness above zero is a good idea. Which public official will take the initiative? County executive? Mayor? ...?
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Uber the Bee Line out of existence. Give poor people Uber vouchers.
The article below is good but does not address the pathetic Westchester County Bee Line bus system, which moves poor people around to provide services for rich people. See many previous posts on how empty the Bee Line buses are. It might well be more cost effective to provide free and/or discounted Uber rides to the poor people, rather than having them wait in unpleasant locations for Bee Line buses.
Uber's technically not legal here, but it may be soon
by Mark Lungariello, mlungariel@lohud.com 7:48 a.m. EDT March 25, 2016
State insurance laws are a stumbling block for ride-booking services outside of New York City.
Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are prohibited in the state outside of New York City due to existing insurance laws. Uber operates in Westchester, but under the county’s current laws regulating taxis and limousines, the company’s drivers are only allowed to give rides if the pick-up or drop-off location is within one of the five boroughs.
It’s a poorly-kept secret that you can take an Uber within Westchester County even though the services aren’t licensed to operate here ...
Yonkers, White Plains and New Rochelle license their own taxis and collect revenue from permit fees or selling medallions.
_________________________
Uber's technically not legal here, but it may be soon
by Mark Lungariello, mlungariel@lohud.com 7:48 a.m. EDT March 25, 2016
State insurance laws are a stumbling block for ride-booking services outside of New York City.
Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are prohibited in the state outside of New York City due to existing insurance laws. Uber operates in Westchester, but under the county’s current laws regulating taxis and limousines, the company’s drivers are only allowed to give rides if the pick-up or drop-off location is within one of the five boroughs.
It’s a poorly-kept secret that you can take an Uber within Westchester County even though the services aren’t licensed to operate here ...
Yonkers, White Plains and New Rochelle license their own taxis and collect revenue from permit fees or selling medallions.
_________________________
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