NEWS |
176-00: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE , December 18, 2000
The Exclusive Bus Lane, now considered a mass transit facility in its own right, speeds the flow of buses into Manhattan during the morning peak period. It handles approximately 1,700 buses, carrying more than 60,000 passengers each day. More than 390 million bus passengers have benefited from the lane since it opened.
Commonly known as the XBL, the lane opened on December 18, 1970. It has served as a model for similar traffic management operations in other parts of the country.
"The Exclusive Bus Lane is extremely effective, allowing us to handle ever-growing volumes of Manhattan-bound traffic," said Ken Philmus, the Port Authority's Director of Tunnels, Bridges and Terminals. "The XBL encourages mass transit use by saving bus passengers 15 to 20 minutes on their commute. As a result, the Lincoln Tunnel has become one of the most important mass transit links in the region, carrying nearly as many peak-period passengers as the PATH system.
"The success of the lane requires us to be vigilant about keeping buses moving, particularly as the number of buses served each day is pressing up against the XBL's capacity," Mr. Philmus said. "In 1997, we required all buses using the lane to be equipped with E-ZPass to ensure optimal traffic flow. We are currently working with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to build a new acceleration lane for buses at major merge points at the New Jersey entrances to the XBL."
Kostas J. Skruodys, General Manager of the Lincoln Tunnel said, "The XBL helps to keep more than 41,000 additional cars out of the Lincoln Tunnel during the crucial morning peak period, helping to ease congestion and improve air quality."
The XBL begins at Interchange 17 on the New Jersey Turnpike and operates in a westbound lane on Route 495 to the Lincoln Tunnel. The lane is open from 6:15 a.m. to 10 a.m., Monday through Friday. Each morning, Port Authority staff set up the lane by positioning more than 575 traffic markers at 25-foot intervals on the westbound side of Route 495. Approximately 80 overhead traffic signs also are changed to show that the XBL is open.
To further improve the flow of buses, the Port Authority began an Automatic Vehicle Identification program in 1989. Buses outfitted with a small electronic tag on the roof could proceed through the tunnel's toll plaza without stopping and the toll would be billed on a monthly basis. In October 1997, that system was replaced by E-ZPass, and the electronic toll collection system became mandatory for all buses using the lane.
The XBL was initially developed with a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation as a regional urban corridor demonstration project. "The Port Authority, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the New Jersey Department of Transportation are partners in advancing the success of the lane," Mr. Philmus said.