MTA plans to cut Astoria's Vernon Blvd bus route

Astoria Patch

The MTA's proposal to eliminate the Q103 bus route along Vernon Boulevard has riled Astoria residents, who say the line is needed now more than ever.


Under the transportation authority's preliminary proposal to entirely redraw the Queens bus map, released Dec. 31, the Q103's north-south route along the Astoria waterfront would be cut.
As a replacement, the MTA's plan would shift those riders to a new version of the Q69 bus, which would still run along 21st Street — about 0.4 miles east of Vernon Boulevard — but continue further into Long Island City.

MTA officials working on the redesign said their proposal is only a draft and that the Q103 elimination isn't a done deal, but the mere suggestion had locals up in arms at two recent meetings on the plan.


At an MTA presentation on the redesign plan Friday in Astoria, nearly all of the 30-some attendees came to address the Q103 proposal: When one planner leading the presentation asked who had a question that wasn't about the Q103, the audience roared with laughter.

 Actually, someone should have asked if this was a way to open up the road for the BQX.

Like this woman did;