New York Gov. Hochul launches study to improve transit options, connections west of the Hudson River

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) have launched a study aimed at improving regional transit coordination and limited cross-county connections in the Hudson Valley for commuters living west of the Hudson River. Led by the New York Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the West of Hudson Transit Study is being designed to address transit oversights and enhance the rider experiences in underserved communities.

“For many years, Hudson Valley residents living west of the Hudson River have asked for better transit connections to New York City (NYC) and throughout the region, and the West of Hudson Transit Study will give us the roadmap to deliver just that,” Hochul said. “The Hudson Valley’s landscape is multi-faceted—urban, suburban and rural—and we know there are gaps in the region’s transportation infrastructure. With this study, we will do a forensic analysis of where these gaps are, the best methods to fix them and provide a clear plan on how to deliver improved transit for Hudson Valley residents on both sides of the river.”

The new study will focus on bus service improvements and connections to existing rail lines and ferries. It also aims to increase the number of one-seat rides to the NYC metropolitan area while further reducing travel times by identifying locations where roadway infrastructure improvements can prioritize transit to bypass congestion. ICF International has been engaged to support the study.

“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 said. “I’ve been pushing relentlessly to change that, and I’m proud to help deliver the West of Hudson Transit Study as a direct result of that fight. We’ve waited long enough. This is about taking action to ensure our region finally gets the attention and investment it deserves — and I’m proud to work with Governor Hochul to deliver.”

The West of Hudson Transit Study will center on service improvements to bus networks—including local routes—regional commuter bus service and microtransit. It‘s also being set up to review ferry services and transit bus enhancements to connect to existing rail corridors. The study’s focus area includes Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster, N.Y., counties, as well as the connections from those counties to Dutchess County, Putnam County, Westchester County and NYC.

“The demographics are changing in the Hudson Valley, and with an increased population the transportation needs of residents, commuters, weekend visitors and rural access need to be studied as there are opportunities for improvement in getting residents where they safely need to go, especially to places like New York City that they should be able to get to quickly and efficiently,” said NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez . “The West of Hudson Transit Study will explore the many different ways that regional transportation options can be improved to meet the diverse needs of such a large commuter population.”

The initial phase of the study will analyze existing conditions faced by all transit services operating in the Mid and Lower Hudson Valley and confirm relative demand levels throughout the study area. To get stronger local participation, a public outreach plan will be created to gather feedback from riders, transit operators, community organizations and the general public.

The study, according to the governor’s office, builds off the success of ongoing state-led efforts to improve transit service in the Hudson Valley. On Jan. 2, Hochul and NYSDOT launched a major bus service expansion with the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge Shuttle, more than doubling existing weekday connections with Metropolitan Transportation Authority Metro-North Railroad trains to and from NYC and providing improved connections to other regional destinations. Despite a major snowstorm and an unseasonably cold winter, year-to-date total bus ridership on this crossing is up more than 75% according to the governor’s office. 

Other initiatives include identifying future enhancements to Hudson Link, a rapid bus service traveling across the Mario Cuomo Bridge between Rockland and Westchester Counties that connects key destinations and commuter rail services.

NYSDOT has begun conducting rider surveys of commuter bus service in Ulster and Orange counties to develop an updated service plan to provide better one-seat ride connectivity to NYC, with further updates expected later this year.