Astorians want Q22 express bus back

Queens Chronicle wrote about Senator Gianaris' efforts to reinstate the Q22 express bus.

Residents and elected officials are pushing to have Q22 express bus service restored in Astoria.

A petition is circulating online, and in a letter dated April 26, addressed to Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Jay Walder, state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria) demanded the service between Astoria and Manhattan be restored.

 “Recently the MTA announced with great fanfare the reinstatement of two buses serving Brooklyn commuters,” Gianaris wrote. “While I am glad bus riders of Brooklyn will have their service restored to pre-cut levels, I am concerned that the same consideration is not provided to Queens commuters who are facing similar hardship as a result of last year’s cuts.”

The Q22 express stopped serving Astoria in June of last year, when the MTA stated system-wide cuts were inevitable due to budget shortfalls. Two express buses cut in Brooklyn, the X27 and X28, have both been restored.

“When viewed in light of the MTA’s recent acquiescence in efforts to relocate a bus depot from Brooklyn to Maspeth, a troubling pattern appears to be emerging,” the legislator wrote.

Read full text here.