Dedicated Bus Lanes on the George Washington Bridge!

Two-way, 24/7, dedicated bus lanes are urgently needed on the George Washington Bridge, a vital transportation link between Bergen County and New York City famously known for being “the world’s busiest motor vehicle bridge.” This critical, low-cost, highly-efficient infrastructure improvement will not only alleviate the region's crippling traffic congestion but also promote sustainable transportation, reduce cancer-causing air pollution, and enhance the lives of countless hard-working commuters and families.

Key Points:

  1. Traffic Relief: Alleviate crippling congestion on the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge, reducing delays of up to 90 minutes and easing economic strain on businesses.
  2. Sustainability: Promote sustainable transportation by reducing harmful air pollution and offering an efficient, low-cost commuting option.
  3. Success of Dedicated Lanes: Leverage the proven success of dedicated bus lanes, such as the Lincoln Tunnel exclusive bus lane, which transports 10 times the number of people as the 3 car lanes combined, saving commuters time and money.
  4. Enhanced Public Transit: Increase public transit efficiency and accessibility, connecting Bergen County commuters with the NYC subway and bus system.
  5. Safety: Improve roadway safety for all users, contributing to Vision Zero goals and reducing accidents.
  6. Regional Impact: Address the lack of traffic and pollution relief predicted for areas near the GWB with the implementation of congestion pricing in NYC.
  7. Cost-Effectiveness: Provide a cost-effective alternative to expensive and polluting highway widenings, supporting a sustainable infrastructure approach.

Let's transform the George Washington Bridge into a symbol of sustainable transportation and lead the way for future infrastructure projects!

References

[1] https://www.loc.gov/item/2017882210/

[2] In 2019, The Lincoln Tunnel’s eXclusive Bus Lane (XBL) transported 36,978 people in an hour via the single bus lane on weekday mornings while the three car lanes transported only 3,663 total. https://www.nymtc.org/Portals/0/Pdf/Hub%20Bound/2019%20Hub%20Bound/DM_TDS_Hub_Bound_Travel_2019.pdf

[3] https://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/en/lincoln-tunnel/xbl.html

[4] https://www.nyc.gov/html/brt/downloads/pdf/buslane_enforcement_brochure.pdf

[5] https://mass.streetsblog.org/2023/09/25/bostons-new-huntington-ave-bus-lanes-are-saving-t-riders-25-hours-every-workday

[6] https://www.planetizen.com/news/2019/01/102535-bus-only-lanes-san-francisco-show-impressive-results

[7] https://twitter.com/panynj_gwb?lang%3Den&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1705991967929875&usg=AOvVaw1DiWtLqx9roXbVg9L7EYhS

[8] https://pfnyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2018-01-Congestion-Pricing.pdf

[9] The Lincoln Tunnel sees 6.4X times the number of buses at the George Washington Bridge despite have only 6 lanes to the GWB’s 14 lanes. https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/pa-report_final_0.pdf

[10] https://www.panynj.gov/content/dam/bridges-tunnels/pdfs/traffic-e-zpass-usage-2023.pdf

[11] The average bus emits less than one‐third the carbon dioxide emissions per person as a single occupancy car. https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/well-to-wheel-ghg-intensity-of-motorised-passenger-transport-modes-2022

[12] Riding the bus is about 20 times safer for passengers than driving or being a passenger in a car https://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/JPT17.4_Litman.pdf

[13] Research indicates that car trips cause four times as many pedestrian injuries, five-times more cyclist injuries, and five-times as many fatal and severe injuries compared to buses. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5906382/#:~:text=The%20rate%20of%20pedestrians%20fatally,CI%20%5B2.3%2C%206.99%5D).

[14] https://new.mta.info/project/CBDTP/environmental-assessment-2022

[15] https://turnpiketrap.org/

Sponsored by
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Bergen County Complete Streets
Fort Lee, NJ