[Not really an M14 bus]
The city and MTA have decided to get an early start on converting 14th Street into a bus-only corridor ... beginning on Jan. 6 — three-plus months ahead of L-mageddon time.
City officials said that they need the extra months to test M14 SBS service and make adjustments before the shutdown begins.
amNY first had the story:
To ensure buses are up to the task of absorbing some of that crowd, the city and MTA plan to institute bus-only restrictions on 14th Street between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days a week. The restrictions will be in place between Ninth and Third avenues eastbound, and Third and Eighth avenues westbound. A DOT spokeswoman said the city is hashing out “specific access points” for local traffic and trucks.
The SBS route will initially make five stops between First Avenue and Tenth Avenue. The SBS route will complement existing M14A and M14D service so that buses will arrive every two minutes during morning and evening rush hours. Combined, the local and SBS service is expected to handle about 84,000 riders per day.
The shutdown of the L — between Bedford Avenue and Eighth Avenue to repair the Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel — is expected to last 15 months.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Cars to give way to a bus-only corridor most hours on 14th Street during the L-train shutdown