Gov. Hochul and Rep. Ryan Announce Bus Transit Study in West Hudson Valley

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y.—Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Pat Ryan announced on Feb. 23 the launch of a study focused on bus transit in counties west of the Hudson River, including Orange County.

The West of Hudson Transit Study will be led by the state Department of Transportation. The state says the study will address significant transit problems, create a better rider experience in underserved communities, and create more one-seat rides to New York City.

The focus will be on bus services to NYC and connections to existing rail lines and ferries, as well as local bus routes. The study will try to identify places where roadway infrastructure improvements can be made to decrease travel times.

The initial phase of the project will look at the current conditions of transit services in the mid to lower Hudson Valley area and confirm demand for transportation. A public outreach plan will be enacted to gather feedback from residents who use public transit in the area, and the ideas found will influence the outcomes of the study.

The Department of Transportation is already collecting rider surveys in Ulster and Orange counties in order to improve service plans.

The focus area of the study is Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster counties, and Dutchess, Putnam, and Westchester counties through connections.

Ryan, who serves as the U.S. representative for most of Orange, Dutchess, and Ulster county, said in the announcement, “For far too long, residents west of the Hudson have been stuck with exhausting commutes into New York City, unreliable transit options, and a transportation system that simply hasn’t kept up with the needs of our growing communities.”

Ryan will chair a stakeholder advisory committee with community leaders to give guidance and input on the study.

Hochul in the announcement called the study a roadmap to deliver better transit to NYC for residents west of the Hudson. She said that the region has urban, suburban, and rural areas that need better service, and that the study will create a forensic analysis of the gaps that need filling.

The Epoch Times spoke with Alan Sorensen, the Orange County planning commissioner, on Feb. 25. He said that he’s still learning about the study, and that he has reached out to the Department of Transportation for more information.

Sorensen said the Orange County Transportation Council is interested in participating and helping, adding that the Orange County government works closely with the state Department of Transportation on other projects.

Sorensen said that on a longer time scale, 10 years or more, the Port Jervis Line to Secaucus Junction and the Hoboken Terminal could see improved service frequency, track signalization, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and lower costs.

The commuter bus service in Orange County is robust, said Sorensen. The bus system is expanding in frequency and operation hours, and the county is procuring over 30 buses to replace and expand service in Middletown and Newburgh.

“These things do take time in planning to get the necessary infrastructure in place,” said Sorensen. “There’s a lot of guidelines and procurement processes that we have to follow and so it does take some time to get these things in place.”