Restoration of the B37 important to residents of southwest Brooklyn

Since the summer of 2010, I have fought alongside Councilmember Vincent Gentile, State Senator Marty Golden, Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis, District Leader Kevin Peter Carroll, transportation and senior advocates and others to restore this service.

Finally, the MTA seems to be hearing our collective prayers and will vote on January 27 at its 347 Madison Avenue headquarters in Manhattan to restore the B37 bus to the Barclay’s Center. Our preference would, of course, be to restore fully the old B37 route just a little further to the civic center at Cadman Plaza West and Tillary Street.

Until the hearing on January 27, the MTA must hear from Bay Ridge and Sunset Park residents who wish to see this bus line restored. Write the MTA at 2 Broadway New York, NY 10004 or call 646-252-5800 to let the MTA know we want our bus back.

Many station agents and fare collector booths were shut down on the R line and many residents feel they no longer have a safe commute home unless by bus.

When then-MTA Chairperson nominee Thomas Prendergast faced the State Senate at his confirmation hearing; Senator Savino famously exacted a promise that he would restore the shuttered B37 bus line and other transit services. It now seems as if MTA Chair Prendergast will indeed live up to that promise.

The B37 is the only bus line in our area that provided service in close proximity to schools, work, places of worship, after-school programs, daycare centers, Lutheran Medical Center, Lutheran Family Health Center clinics and the surrounding senior centers.

The elimination of the bus service adversely impacted the elderly, disabled, families, youth and persons with chronic illnesses as they disproportionately relied on the bus to access their health services and traveling to city agencies in downtown Brooklyn.

For Fort Hamilton residents, the B37 represented their only mass transit link unless they can walk the quite steep hill from Shore Road all the way to Fourth Avenue to access the R train.

The B37 route services the Third Avenue corridor assisting people, many of whom are seniors who cannot access the R train due to disability or time of use. This bus should never have been cut and know we are on the verge of restoring the B37 this summer. Please help us get the B37 bus back, all the way to downtown.

State Senator Diane J. Savino represents the 23rd District encompassing Sunset Park, Bay Ridge Towers, Dyker Heights, Coney Island, Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Brighton Beach and the north shore of Staten Island.

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