In a letter to Commissioner Polly Trottenberg of the New York City Department of Transportation, Assemblymember Michael Reilly (R-South Shore) made a request to remove the Eltingville portion of the Richmond Avenue bus lane, which is one of several bus only dedicated lanes that had been created between 2011 and 2012 to provide faster bus service for the S79 Select Bus Service on Staten Island. In particular, the Eltingville portion of the bus lane stretches for over a quarter mile, beginning at Shirley Avenue and letting out onto Hylan Boulevard. As a matter of fact, this portion of Richmond Avenue has seen several accidents already this year, with the most recent accident involving a bus, a totaled vehicle, and six injured individuals.

A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

Reilly pointed out to Commissioner Trottenberg that the curvature and width of this portion of Richmond Avenue was never suitable for an additional lane in the first place, and that it has left the other travel lanes too narrow for motorists to operate their vehicle.

In addition to requesting that the bus lane be removed, Reilly also requested that the Department of Transportation restore this portion of Richmond Avenue so that it would have a dedicated lane of traffic in each direction separated by a stripped median, while preserving the existing dedicated lanes for parking on either side.

“I warned of these hazards ever since the red paint touched the ground. The fact is, these lanes are too narrow for motorists to navigate safely, especially with buses and other elongated vehicles using them sometimes as well,” said Reilly. “If the Department of Transportation seriously cares about traffic safety, they will reconsider and remove this bus lane once and for all. Motorists traveling this portion of Richmond Avenue, and my Eltingville constituents who live along it should not have to fear another accident.”