It’s a mess out there.
Thousands of commuters swelled the ad-hoc Brooklyn commuter hubs this morning to board shuttle buses into Manhattan, which had lines so long some riders just gave up and walked.
With no Brooklyn subways entering Manhattan, trains in the borough stopped in Downtown Brooklyn, where riders disembarked to board shuttle buses into the city, either at the Barclays Center or Jay Street-MetroTech.
“It’s very hostile waiting in that line. It was overwhelming. I felt like I was in the movie ‘Avatar’ where everyone is waiting to be deported. It’s scary!” said Ray Qi, a rider trying to get into Midtown at the Barclays Center.
He eventually gave up and went home.
“I never knew how crucial the MTA was. I definitely took it for granted. I wish I never complained that they were late before the hurricane. At least they came!” he said.
The MetroTech Center was pandemonium as well.
Three or four lines snaked off from one entry point, with no one clear who was boarding first.
“When I first got here there was one huge line but now there’s 10 lines. It’s a free-for-all. It’s a mess. Why you going to wait in line when everybody’s cutting you? It would have been faster if we walked – or cut,” said Ryan Metauro, 24, who had been waiting for over an hour.
Traffic in Brooklyn was insane, even as early as 6 a.m.
Buses and cars crowded for space.
One bus that left Barclays Center shortly after 6 a.m. sat in traffic for over an hour trying to reach the Manhattan.
The good news for bus riders is the city closed the lower level of the Manhattan bridge to cars. Only buses are allowed through to speed up trips.
City also sectioned off bus only lanes on Third Avenue and Lexington.