Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Sorriest Bus Stops 2018

The “Sorry Bus Stops” Final Round 1 Battle: Suffolk County vs. New York City

12:56 PM EDT on August 22, 2018

If you can have a sorry bus stop there, you can have a sorry bus stop anywhere.

Yes, it's up to you, New York, N.Y. as we pit two really lousy Big Apple bus stops to round out the Elite Eight in our annual America's Sorriest Bus Stop competition.

Nashville; Cincinnati; Beverly Hills; Pittsburgh; McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania and New Orleans have already moved on to the second round. Meanwhile, voting is still open for yesterday's matchup, which pitted San Rafael, California, against Vancouver.

Today's contenders are extra awful because they come from the nation's most transit friendly metro area. But they still fall into the traps we see elsewhere: complete disregard for riders' safety and comfort. Let's take a look:

suffolk county bus stop
This is how the "sorry" stop appeared in our contest earlier this year. Check out what Suffolk County did below.

Brentwood, N.Y.

This sorry bus stop, sent by an anonymous reader, shows Crooked Hill Road in suburban Brentwood, N.Y.

The reader explains:

Absolutely no thought given to pedestrians with this stop. No sidewalks towards either direction, sitting feet away from a busy, higher speed thoroughfare, with no safe method to cross the road. Most that use this stop would need to cross, as employment centers are mostly found opposite this stop. Additionally, possibly the worst part of this stop, if you turn around the street view, you will see a business next to it with heavy duty trucks in use. They have chosen to go instead of turning right directly outside the driveway, using the area of the bus stop as a merge to the road instead, creating another hazard for the riders of this already dangerous stop.

This stop is served by Suffolk County Transit. And Suffolk County Public Works is responsible for the road. And both richly deserve the shame of inclusion in this competition.

The Bronx

bronx bus stop

Meanwhile, this stop on Sedgwick Avenue in the heart of the Bronx, comes to us from an anonymous reader — and (not to prejudice you voters) it was selected by our editors from many, many New York City sorry bus stops. If Gotham is going to win this year's competition, this is the sorry bus stop on which that crown will rest.

Look closely: Yes, bus riders are literally waiting in some guy's driveway for the bus.

The nominator adds, exasperatedly:

The bus pole is right in the middle of a driveway. There's nowhere to wait.

As you can see in the photo, the stop serves three MTA bus routes, so it's no outpost in the wilderness. This is a stop with high service frequency. But the surrounding environment leaves a lot to be desired.

Both the city DOT and the state-run MTA share the blame for bus stops like this that clearly have not been given a second thought.

bus_stop_2018

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Hush That Fuss

New BRT in Denver, the case for reimagining parking lots, and more in today's headlines.

March 29, 2024

Why We Care About Some Transportation Tragedies More Than Others

Why do we respond to major transportation disasters with so much urgency — and why don't we count our collective car crash epidemic among them?

March 28, 2024

The Toll of History: MTA Board Approves $15 Congestion Pricing Fee

New York City's first-in-the-nation congestion pricing tolls are one historic step closer to reality after Wednesday's 11-1 MTA board vote. Next step: all those pesky lawsuits.

March 28, 2024

Take Thursday’s Headlines Home, Country Roads

Heat Map reports on why rural Americans are resisting electric vehicles, and why it might not matter much for the climate.

March 28, 2024
See all posts