This week, we asked readers their thoughts on the redesign and installation by NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and the MTA of an island to accommodate bus traffic along the center of East Gun Hill Road in Norwood.

 

“The problem is before, a lot of people stopped here to get some pizza. Now, the problem is nobody wants to stop to buy pizza. Yeah, that’s a problem. Sometimes people park on the side [street] but, you know, it’s not like it used to be here. This just happened. They didn’t say anything. Of course, it is a mistake. A lot of people now have no business, especially here in this area.”

René Lopez,

Pelham Parkway, owner of Pizza & Burgers, located at E. Gun Hill Road & Perry Avenue, Norwood

“It’s disturbing; parking spaces are limited, and I notice the cars are just trying to go and when they park in the bus lane, there is only one lane, and it’s terrible. Oh my God! I don’t want to live here during rush hour. When I come, it takes me an extra 25 minutes just to get to my house. I think the traffic is just as bad now. I thought that this was going to make it easier, but it’s not.

 

I haven’t seen any enforcement. Sometimes, they park there, and you’ve got to go in the bus lane, and the buses are going to be equipped with cameras, and then we’re going to get a ticket. I didn’t hear anything about this; it just happened. I don’t know if there’s a better way but I’m not going to stay around to find out. I’m leaving.”

Max Gonzalez,

Norwood

“This is s—t; it’s horrible. It’s the worst thing that ever happened to Gun Hill Road, a major thoroughfare connecting the east side of the Bronx to the west side of the Bronx and vice versa. They put these islands here. My kids go to school on the other side of White Plains Road. It used to be a 4-minute trip. Now, it’s a 22-minute trip and I drive. It’s the worst thing for drivers. Maybe for the buses, it’s a good thing for them [if] that’s the idea, but even the buses are right beside me while I’m stuck in that traffic, so they’re feeling it also. That’s another thing; it’s going to take somebody dying in an ambulance coming through here for them to switch this. I don’t know how many millions of dollars they spent building this, but this was the wrong move.”

Travis B.,

Norwood, 26-year resident

 

“I think it’s a horrible idea. Now it’s dangerous, very dangerous. There’s been more accidents than we had before because what’s happening is you can’t turn, so people are illegally making U-turns. People are illegally turning onto the street, so now, you’re having accidents on the corner here on Tryon [Avenue]. Also, you’ll see accidents that are happening on Kings College [Place] because people are being very careless. Now, you have the motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters going into the bus lane or going into the wrong lane, because they’re trying to get past the traffic. For example, I’m walking my dog and I have to be careful because there’s a motorcycle coming out of the blue, you know what I’m saying? It’s just dangerous.”

Rebecca Marrero,

Norwood

“In the case of Gun Hill [Road], I see it causing more problems than solving – period. If there’s a back-up, and the lane is occupied, or if someone has to do a drop off, or if someone gets a flat tire, that can stop traffic for several blocks. Even if you have the raised curbs and the dedicated bus lane, the drivers are still going to drive recklessly even on the wrong side of the road, and all it takes is a wrong turn or a bad decision by a driver, and that car or vehicle can hit anyone in any direction regardless of how the road is designed.”

Chad Royer,

University Heights, member of Bronx Community Board 7

 

Read our separate story on the official ribbon-cutting ceremony which took place on Tuesday, Oct. 31, on East Gun Hill Road in Norwood, marking the official launch of the bus redesign implementation here.