Brooklyn Post-Sandy Transit Drama Open Thread

By on November 1, 2012 10:01 am in Brooklyn Heights

So, how are you dealing with this? Going to work, working from home or hardly working? Comment away!

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  • ColumbiaHeightster

    I made it to midtown via the East River Ferry this morning. There’s no schedule, just a continuous circulation of boats. From DUMBO, it first goes south to Wall Street, then up to North Williamsburg. At North Williamsburg, there is a free transfer to a different boat that takes you to the 34th St.

    Door to door was about 1hr 30min, but it was organized and civilized. $4 each way, free transfer.

    Sounds like it’s a much better option than the Bridge Buses…reports of chaos and violence (perhaps just rumors though).

    Good luck everyone!

  • TMS

    I walked home from 66th and Columbus to Bklyn Heights. It took just over 2 hours. Got to see the great divide…those with power and those without. I’m sore, but am going to do it again today…friends who took cabs were in traffic for an hour and 45 min. I’ll take the extra 15 and get some exercise.

  • PBL

    TMS, we actually walked from Brooklyn Heights to 32nd and Madison yesterday, and like you we got to see the “great divide” (well put). Saw literally 2 food places open on the walk (both on Bowery) until we hit 17th street or so, where there were a few delis open.

    On the way home, we were lucky to catch a cab — guy was really nice, but based on the situation would only take us as far as Canal Street (so we walked across the Manhattan Bridge home).

    Heard that a lot of eaties later in the day were BBQing on the street for free and asking for donations for the Red Cross … very cool.

  • Robert Perris

    Low on drama, but I walked from the South Slope to my office as I often do. Today’s route was via Smith Street, where I passed four B57 buses stuck in traffic.

    Bike riding seems to be the fastest way to commute. But folks, the heavy traffic resulting from the limited mass transit service, does not excuse bad behavior. Please ride in the direction of traffic on one-way streets and do not ride on the sidewalk.

  • x

    I took the 4 train from the Bron x and got off at 59 st & Lex to walk to 56th street where the Brooklyn shuttle buses were located.

    There were THREE different routes/buses, so don’t take the wrong bus. One is going to Jay St/ Metrotech, another going to Atlantic Ave/Barclay and the three is going to Hewes St (Williamsburg?)

    Reverse commuting from Midtown to downtown Brooklyn took about 30-40 min.. no lines at 10am but full. The bus made stops at 42nd st/Grand Central, 33rd st, and 23rd street before going over Manhattan Bridge.

  • ILikeBrooklyn

    Walking sounds like a good option. I’m going to consider it if the weather allows. I could use the exercise.

    I am guessing once across the bridge into Manhattan there could be cabs/cars, however I heard there’s no gas around.

    I have to be at Sloan Kettering at 11 AM tomorrow morning. I have a car & can drive if there are people who need to get into the city.

    I would imagine I need to leave around 9 AM because of traffic delays.

    Still waiting to see if appointment is on or not.

    If you need a way in & my appointment is on I will check this thread later today for response.

  • ILikeBrooklyn

    Duh… Maybe the 4 s running from downtown Manhattan uptown tomorrow. Or the 4. Maybe just walk the bridge & catch the subway.

  • ILikeBrooklyn

    Correction The 6 or the 4.

  • GHB

    If power’s not restored to lower Manhattan, don’t count on seeing any subways down there

  • Heightsman

    My wife left Brooklyn Heights at 11am in the car with 4 people and over the Brooklyn Bridge. She made it to 63rd and 3rd Ave in Manhattan in 15 minutes. Then went across town to Columbus Circle. Entire one-way trip was less than 30 minutes. Let’s see what the return looks like….

  • Ibid

    Yesterday I walked to my office at 33rd and 10th. It took two hours. Today I got smart, and biked in. Total time:46 minutes. Lower Manhattan was actually very easy, since there’s very little traffic below 14th street.

    If you possibly can, riding a bike is by far the best option. NB, the Manhattan Bridge is a hundred times better than the Brooklyn Bridge for riding a bike, with it’s separate pedestrian/bicycle lanes.

  • ILikeBrooklyn

    Yeah, I forgot there can’t be subways without power below 34th street. Thanks.

    I should have remembered that given my son is in the area without power.

  • That’s My Dagh

    45 minute bike ride to rock center. easily the best option if you can manage it.

  • bagel boy

    bikes are a useless and stupid alternative for people that have challenges getting around.especially the over 40 crowd that dont have a bike the bike people always come up with the same nonsense that only impacts them take your bull elsewhere.

  • jane

    Did anyone try the bus from Jay St versus the Barclay nightmare?

  • David on Middagh

    Bike people: let’s not respond to the troll comment. I think everyone already realizes that every bicyclist who chooses to bike may result in one less person on a crowded bus or taking up a seat in a scarce taxi.

  • Ibid

    @bagel boy: I’m over 40. I know not everyone can ride a bike. For several years I couldn’t either, due to an injury. But people who can should consider it, if for no other reason than to reduce the load on limited public transportation.

  • HenryLoL

    Dont go near Jay Street – it was a nightmare. Will walk over bridge tomm and take a taxi or hitch.

  • x

    you guys can easily walk over/hitchhike over the bridge and then catch an uptown bus in lower manhattan. Buses are running still

  • Luke C

    Fortunate enough to be able to work from home this week since my offices are still without power in Manhattan. Can’t believe how crowded all the N. Heights eateries are by day! Not sure if that’s normal or an effect of others staying close to home this week. Looking forward to biking my over-40 self back to work next week.

  • Lilly

    Can you someone advise if they tried the Borough Hall->Manhattan bus today? What time and how long it take? How were the lines? Additionally, for people who rode the bike – was it easy to navigate the streets or hard (for someone who is not an adept bike rider).

  • Ibid

    @Lilly: I think the bus lines at Borough/Jay were shorter than Barclay’s. Still looked long, but I think it was about a 30 minute wait.

    If you’re biking, plan your trip with ridethecity.com or bike directions from google maps. Streets are easy to navigate, as bike lanes are well marked, and the signage is adequate. But most important: PLAN your trip. And be safe. It’s not a race. Arrive alive.

  • Bloomy

    @Lilly Biking is not bad, but be careful in lower Manhattan where the stop lights are out. People are idiots with how fast they are driving, and going the wrong way down one way streets. Try to stick to protected bike lanes if you can. Once you are in the “light” side of Manhattan things aren’t any worse than normal.

  • Jorale-man

    I too am fortunate enough to work from home this week and have noticed what Luke was saying – the restaurants and coffee shops around here are packed during the day. While Lower Manhattan places must be suffering, the Heights is probably doing quite well at the moment.

  • Garrett

    Is the power in bk hts all on, no problems? How are grocery store food stocks? We r still in New Orleans stuck, but people are telling us to stay here a few more days since NYC is such a mess.  Thoughts?

  • bagel boy

    Dave on middagh: yes. Yes. Everyone is a troll that doesn’t agree with you. Selfish typical bike jerk. I hope you crack your head open crossing traffic. Take your bike and stuff it.

  • Maggie

    Garrett: Brooklyn Heights proper didn’t lose power, some trees down. Grocery stores are stocked. It’s a little weird, actually, because it’s normal compared with almost everywhere else.

  • Hazel

    In answer to Garrett in New Orleans…Bklyn Hts is fine…Stores pretty well stocked today…travel to rest of Bklyn fine..Just getting through lower Manhattan is difficult, still no power, no subways. ..so its not easy to get to Upper Manhattan or Bx or Queens.

  • Garrett

    Thx @hazel & @maggie. It’s a tough call to leave 80deg weather, creole food, and to go cup drinks, but we miss NYC, bk hts, and home. Sounds like it houkdnt be too bad to return Friday/tomrw. We r 70/30 now going thx to the feedback here.

    Any other thoughts on returning and bk hts area status is welcome. As long as it doesn’t involve bicycles or troll talk. #BeNicePeople

    ;)

  • el

    Worked from home the beginning of the week, but decided to head in this morning – got a cab at 6am and 40min + $35 later arrived at Rockefeller Center. The line at 42nd and Lex for the shuttle to Jay St was super long (came up to 45th st, turned the corner, then turned again on Vanderbilt), so I jumped on the M103 downtown, got off at Brooklyn Bridge 40 min later, then walked over in 20ish (including stops for gawking). Started at 7pm and was home by 8:30pm, which isn’t so bad, especially on a nice night for walking.

    @Lilly, going into the city is probably fine, but I would not consider it if you were going to bike back home after dark – I couldn’t believe how dark it was below 23rd with only flares to mark intersections. If you’re not super comfortable biking on unfamiliar routes, I wouldn’t choose this time to start.

    @Garrett, Brooklyn Heights is absolutely normal – as long as you don’t have to go into Manhattan, I’d come back… just make sure you’ve got a decent option to get to the Heights from the airport!

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