Express bus stops and Park-&-Ride lots on Staten Island are covered in ice and snow, making it difficult for commuters to safely get to work in Manhattan this week.
Staten Islanders told amNewYork Metro Thursday that they feel the big wigs in charge of buses, snow removal and sanitation in the borough are not stepping forward with plans to fix the dangerous problem.
Many of the express stops are located in the borough’s South Shore neighborhoods, where commuters have to walk far or drive to local Park & Ride zones to hop on an express bus for their often two-hour commutes to the rest of the city. The icy surfaces are frustrating commuters, with some fearing they will fall while running to catch an arriving bus.
“It was so icy, I was tempted to walk in the middle of Hylan Boulevard, like I have done in the past,” said Filippa Grisafi, a commuter and express bus advocate. “But people drive like maniacs in the bus lane, so I take my chances on the ice.”
Grisafi catches the SIM7 or SIM9 at Nelson Avenue and Hylan Boulevard, a small hub where various express buses stop in Great Kills. She said the stop—including the sidewalks, lawns, and street—was covered in ice and snow on Thursday and is rarely cleared after winter storms.
“There are three businesses there, and the sidewalk is never cleared,” she described. “It’s so dangerous.”
amNewYork Metro reached out to several government agencies responsible for bus operations and maintaining safe conditions in NYC. Those who responded pointed fingers at other agencies as being responsible for the cleanup.
Although express buses are part of the MTA NYC Transit system, a spokesperson told amNew York Metro that the agency is not responsible for conditions at bus stops. The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) has that duty.
But, a DOT spokesperson directed amNewYork Metro to the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY). This agency oversees snow removal on roadways and bike lanes, but also bus stops without shelters, the spokesperson said.
DSNY did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Streets aside, private homeowners and business owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks in front of their properties. Failure to clear sidewalks can result in fines starting at $100.
‘A complete sheet of ice’
Meanwhile, things are even messier at the borough’s handful of Park & Rides—sprawling parking lots where commuters park their cars to catch express buses.
Express bus rider Wendy Rabiner said she saw people almost fall and slide on the ice at the Park & Ride in Huguenot on Huguenot Avenue because the conditions were so bad Thursday morning.
“Driving and walking in the lot is treacherous, especially at night,” she said. “The lots are not well lit. I’ve been watching people slide while walking and almost falling. It’s absolutely terrible.”
Sometimes, Rabiner would take the Staten Island Railway to the Staten Island Ferry into Manhattan. She said the conditions on the MTA-run train are usually better.
“The steps and platform are well-salted,” she said.
Another commuter, who expressed her concerns to 311 and on social media, said the condition of the lot has been an impediment for people of all ages getting to school and work.
“It’s a complete sheet of ice, and children have to walk, and staff members have to get to school,” she posted on Facebook.
amNewYork Metro contacted the state Department of Transportation, the agency that oversees Park & Rides. However, a person who answered the phone at the regional office in NYC said that the agency “does not handle local streets.”
Meanwhile, express bus riders do their best to navigate icy conditions along their commutes.
“I hate seeing the lots like this. It’s dangerous, especially for us older people,” long-time express bus rider Dave Conrad said. “It’s just another issue to deal with.”
