Weekend Bus Service to be Restored to Midtown East Neighborhoods

The MTA has agreed to restore weekend bus service to the M50 bus route in East Midtown. The decision comes in response to a petition drive organized by U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.

Last year, the MTA cut back on bus service throughout the city, eliminating M50 bus service on nights and weekends. Residents of the East Midtown neighborhoods were frustrated with the cuts, saying it isolated them from mass transit on nights and weekends.

In June 2010, the MTA eliminated the M27 bus, which linked Times Square and the Port Authority Bus Terminal to First Ave via 49th and 50ths Streets, cut out night and weekend service on the M50, which ran from the Hudson River to 1st Avenue via 49th and 50th Streets, and eliminated cross-town service on the M104, which runs from Broadway to the United Nations along 42nd St.

The new plan will eliminate stops on the M50 route below East 48th Street at all times in order to restart bus service, without any additional cost to taxpayers.

Congresswoman Maloney said the restoration of East Midtown bus service will be extremely beneficial to the community.

"The MTA's decision means that East Midtown residents will no longer be isolated from mass transit on the weekends and facing a long walk to the subway."

The plan to restore weekend M50 bus service still needs board approval, but officials said they hope it will be running again within the next few weeks.