Trains.com

Re: There are only few real Bus Rapid Transit Systems Out there...

1575 views
2 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: NJ-NYC Area
  • 192 posts
Posted by paulsafety on Thursday, July 31, 2008 10:42 AM
 gardendance wrote:

What's the NYC port authority tunnel to PA station? This is the first I've ever heard of it.

There is a dedicated lane for commuter buses from I-95 to the Lincoln Tunnel to speed their entry into the Port Authority Terminal.

See this link for new XBL studies on this route:  http://www.panynj.gov/COMMUTINGTRAVEL/tunnels/pdfs/XBLnwslttr9-06R1.pdf

Also, from the PA web site on Lincoln Tunnel:

The Lincoln Tunnel, the world's first three-tube underwater vehicular tunnel facility, provides a vital link between midtown Manhattan and central New Jersey, and forms part of New Jersey Route 495.

In New Jersey, this highway connects the tunnel with U.S. Routes 1 and 9, 3 and the New Jersey Turnpike. The Lincoln Tunnel Expressway and Dyer Avenue in Manhattan connect the tunnel and local city streets from West 42nd Street south to West 30th Street.

The tunnel's three tubes provide important flexibility in traffic handling. With the ability to change the six lanes to four lanes in one direction or three lanes in each direction by converting the center tube to a two way operation.

During the weekday morning peak period (between 6:00 am and 10:00 am) the Port Authority operates a 2.5 mile exclusive bus lane (XBL). Utilizing the XBL, commuter buses get a direct route to the tunnel avoiding regular rush hour traffic and significantly reducing travel time.

The XBL is one of the three westbound lanes converted to the eastbound direction when necessary. It runs from the New Jersey Turnpike to the Lincoln Tunnel in one of the normally westbound lanes of New Jersey route 495. This significantly reduces bus commuters' travel time.

Direct ramps connecting the Lincoln Tunnel with the Port Authority Bus Terminal facilitates the handling of commuter buses and reduces traffic congestion on Manhattan streets around the terminal. The ramps provide direct access for automobiles to the three-level roof parking.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • 964 posts
Posted by gardendance on Saturday, August 2, 2008 7:20 AM

Are these hybrids as I know it from the Toyota Prius, the internal combustion kicks in when the vehicle decides it's optimal? What controls when the bus uses the engine vs the battery?

Patrick Boylan

Free yacht rides, 27' sailboat, zip code 19114 Delaware River, get great Delair bridge photos from the river. Send me a private message

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy