By Gus Saltonstall
An Upper West Side bus stop was temporarily removed in recent days to make way for construction related to a new elevator within a subway station.
The M79/BxM2 bus stop on the south side of West 81st Street near Central Park West is officially temporarily out of service, an MTA spokesperson confirmed to West Side Rag.
“The bus stop on W 81 St near Central Park West has been temporarily removed while station accessibility upgrades are underway,” the spokesperson told the Rag. “The MTA encourages customers to consider using the next nearest bus stop which is located on the same block, about 670 ft apart, just east of Columbus Ave.”
Here’s a screenshot from Google Maps that shows the nearby stop closer to Columbus Avenue, along West 81st Street.
The bus stop will be removed for the duration of Phase 2 of the elevator project at the West 81st Street B and C station, which is expected to be completed in 2026.
None of the bus stops will be affected by the corresponding elevator project going on at the West 96th Street B and C station.
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This is great! Between the museum, the subway and the bus, it was getting too congested in that entire area.
I know that stop is quite close to the other one closer to Columbus, but it is a very highly used stop – lots of people get off the subway there and get on the crosstown bus. Sometimes inconveniences are necessary to achieve progress. Hopefully they will complete the elevator quickly so that the bus stop can be restored.
“Eyes on the street” and “Carlos” present perfect examples of how two seemingly opposing views can be simultaneously true! Bravo.
“The MTA encourages customers to consider using the next nearest bus stop which is located on the same block, about 670 ft apart, just east of Columbus Ave.”
670 feet doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a long crosstown block from the 81st Street subway stop. On the south side of the street it’s interrupted by busy AMNH driveways through which a steady stream of cars and school buses flow during the busier times of the day. I use the 79th Street crosstown bus regularly, and, given mobility issues, don’t look forward to negotiating the walk from CPW to Columbus in winter, or in waiting for the bus on Columbus where, if I’m not mistaken, there is no shelter. I understand the MTA’s need to use the bus stop for construction, and I’ll be happy for the new elevator, but I wish they had arranged for a temporary crosstown stop perhaps partway up the block.
The 81st St bus lane should be 24/7. People still need to take the bus on weekends, and currently the bus lane turns into a free parking lane at that time.
The traffic on 81st Street headed eastbound on that block really makes the bus lane unnecessary at all times. It should have remained parking permanently. Go there at 8 am and there was no issue with bus speeds. In fact the bus lanes do not even help, they just spite people who drive with no real impact on travel times. In fact, the biggest travel time impact with the M79 was the fact that there is now all door boarding with most people using OMNY and not having to dip Metrocards or fumble for change on the bus.
The elderly take buses. Walking the 319s of a mile to the next stop is onerous for many of them. As usual no one working for the city has a brain.
Since reply button still isn’t working.
Josh P. wrote:
“The 81st St bus lane should be 24/7. People still need to take the bus on weekends, and currently the bus lane turns into a free parking lane at that time.”
Late night then overnight cross town bus service slows considerably. At some point around 11PM or so until early next morning there is only one bus that makes entire run from RSD to East End and back. Thus there isn’t a need for a 24/7 bus lane.
Consider also traffic both on major avenues and streets (north, south, east, west) pretty much dies off by late evening into overnight.
By 1, 2, 3 AM that stretch of 81st street like Columbus and CPW is virtually desolate, almost void of both persons and traffic. Again thus no need for a dedicated bus lane.
Knew this was going to happen but doesn’t make it any easier to like.
For persons walking south or north along CPW and spy M79 bus at 81st they still can run and hopefully make it. There’s no way anyone is going to sprint down that long city block to reach Columbus and 81st to catch a bus already at stop.
Same for those exiting subway at 81st and CPW.
Hopefully bus drivers will take things into account when they see people running (if they can) or just walking fast as they can westward from CPW to catch a bus.
Delacorte Theater is closed until spring 2025 for renovations thus no Shakespeare in the Park which draws a large crowd who often use both buses and subway at 81st and CPW. Hopefully MTA will have restored bus service to affected stop by then.
Why will it be done in 2025? Why do all all constructions for the city and MTA take ages and cost unbelievably? Why does it always seem the public must “suffer” first in order to improve services?
Incompetence and theft?