Main St/Central Bronx Transit Corridors (New York City)

In 2022, the Q44 SBS was ranked the 12th busiest & the Bx9 was ranked the 16th busiest for overall bus ridership across the city (excluding MTA Bus Routes), both transporting over 12,000 people daily and serving similar ridership bases, with both ending near the Bronx Zoo In West Farms. This map is here to present potential improvements that could be made to both routes, with existing routes also present. -The main proposals here is the creation of the Bx9 SBS or the Bx45 LTD; new routes that stretches across The Bronx. The Bx9 would run from 242 St (1) in Riverdale to SUNY Maritime in Throgs Neck, while the Bx45 would run from Mosholu Pkwy (4) in Bedford Park to Flushing - Main St (7). Both would make use of 182 St/Bronx Park South and the Cross Bronx Expressway. -With either route existing, the Q44 would be rerouted off the Cross Bronx and terminate at different points within Eastern Bronx to reduce its runtime while also creating new connections between East Bronx and Queens. -The Westchester Square routing would allow new bus service along Lafayette Av within Throgs Neck, and creating new connections between The Bronx and Queens, while maintaining a connection between the Q44 and the 6 train. It also maintains a connection with the Bx9 SBS for riders from Queens still wanting to head further west in The Bronx. An alternate routing to Westchester Square not shown would send the Q44 along Castle Hill Av, then via East Tremont to Westchester Square. -The Pelham Bay alternative would be a merger between the present day Q50 and the Q44. The Q50 is the 32nd busiest route within the MTA Bus Company (and would rank amongst the 160th-170th busiest bus routes under the NYCTA), and runs between Pelham Bay and Flushing. The Q44 already provides more frequent service than the Q50 between Flushing and Throgs Neck, and if the Q44 was to be rerouted along Bruckner Blvd towards Pelham Bay, it'd be able to replace the Q50 in its entirety. The only downsides: it would be a extension serving a small group of riders already served by a connection to Queens, while increasing the amount of time it would take for present Q44 riders to travel to the nearest subway line (the 6) without transferring. -The other two alternatives (Pelham Parkway/Alt West Farms) center around the Q44 retaining a connection to the 2/5 trains, while allowing the connection to be accessible & serve sections of the East Bronx that are underserved. The Pelham Parkway Alternative would operate along Castle Hill Av and Bronxdale Av, providing service to a previously unserved area of the East Bronx. It would also include a new connection between the Bx12 SBS and the Q44 SBS. The Alt West Farms route would change the way the Q44 serves West Farms, also operating along Castle Hill Av, but would turn west on East Tremont towards the East 180 St Station. Most connections would be retained, and the Q44 would simply serve a different 2/5 station within West Farms. -other alternatives not being shown are ending the Q44 in College Point (replacing the Q25/Q65 along certain segments) and only running in Queens; this would be to improve reliability along the Main St corridor. The other would be to end service at the Parkchester or Castle Hill (6) station; with the Bx9 SBS or Bx45 LTD operating along the Cross Bronx, there would be no need for the Q44 to continue further into The Bronx, especially with how long the route is from Jamaica to Throgs Neck alone. The other alternative being shown is a heavy rail option; in a world where funds are found to upgrade the Q44 from SBS to a subway to light rail, it would follow the Q44's route in Queens, but in The Bronx would run crosstown along the entirety of the Cross Bronx before terminating near the GWB Bus Station in Manhattan. I chose to route it this way rather than route it similar to the other bus proposals because of how much turning that would require; the curves would slow a train down majorly, increasing it's runtime and reducing its usefulness as a replacement. Additionally, running it along the Cross Bronx for the entire length would reduce the amt of cars on the expressway, while still connecting to other subways and buses that could reach the same destinations that the Bx9 SBS would achieve.