Proposal B

è Reduce the number of routes on 86 Street from three routes serving different parts of the street to a single route serving the entire length of 86^th St to greatly simplify bus travel and reduce indirect travel.

(Board 11 has been asking for this since the 1960s)

Ø (Current Travel Examples: 86^th Street in Bensonhurst to Fort Hamilton or VA Hospital.)

o Currently requires 3 buses and 2 fares or indirect travel. (B1 to B64 to B70 to VA) or (B1 to B64 to B63 to Ft Hamilton or (B1 to B70 or B1 to B63).

o From Brighton Beach, the B68 to B64 leaves you some distance from the hospital which is a problem if you have difficulty walking.

è Fort Hamilton Parkway and 13^th Avenue

Ø Using a new 65^th Street route to cover the Bay Ridge portion of the B1 allows:

o Moving the B16 from 13^th Ave to Fort Hamilton Pkway to better serve Maimonides Hospital.

o Operating an entirely new route (B21) along 13^th Avenue (13^th and 14^th in Borough Park).

o 13^th Ave riders would still be able to access the 86^th St/ 4 Ave area with one bus.

o Connecting both areas of 13^th Avenue further simplifies the routes and would facilitate transferring so you won't need a map with you to plan every trip. This would promote bus usage.

o This also permits rerouting the B64 along the south side of Dyker Beach Park directly serving the VA Hospital and passing within 2 blocks of the 95 St R Station (where you will be able to get a seat in the morning) as well as continuing to serve the 86 St Station and shopping area.

Ø If you create the B86 and do not want bus service on the northern portion of Ft. Hamilton Pkwy, the only other choice is to flip the existing B1 with the B64. This is a poor idea because it adds travel time for B64 riders accessing the F line and probably would cause people from Bath Avenue to walk further to the bus on 86th Street rather than make a longer trip on the closer B64.

è A new route along 65 Street called the B1.

Ø It combines the existing B1 in Bay Ridge with the existing B2.

Ø Also it fills a service gap on 65 St / Av P in Bensonhurst.

o Provides connections to D and N for Bay Ridge Ave residents in addition to the R.

Ø Splitting the underutilized B23 (which is primarily utilized only during school hours) into two routes.

The existing B67 (or proposed B69, See Proposal C) is extended along 16^th Ave and the new B21 along 13^th Ave takes over the Cortelyou Road portion of the existing B23. (The B23 is extended east along Avenue D to increase connectivity in Proposal C.)