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MOBILITYCommunity Advisory Committeesare crucial to designing and planningSelect Bus ServiceCommunity Advisory GroupsCommunity boards, civic groups,and the public are heavily involvedin the planning process for SelectBus Service routes. Each SBS routehas involved dozens of meetingswith stakeholders, along with walk–throughs and focused workshopsto develop community basedsolutions to particular challengesalong a route. Part of the publicengagement process includes thecreation of a Community AdvisoryCommittee (or CACs) to allow a moredetailed discussion of the proposaland address traffic, street design,commercial delivery and other issuesalong a corridor. CACs generallyinclude representatives fromcommunity boards, elected officialsoffices, business associations, andcivic groups.The public process for theWebster Ave Select Bus Service inthe Bronx led to a more aggressiveand better project. Members of theCommunity Advisory Committeebrought up pedestrian safetyconcerns during meetings with theNYCDOT and NYCTransit, especiallyat the intersection of Webster andTremont Avenues. These concernsreinforced DOT’s data that showedthis intersection as a high crashcorridor in the Bronx. In response tocommunity suggestions, DOT’s transitand pedestrian safety groups workedtogether to redesign the WebsterTremont intersection to add additionalpedestrian amenities including theaddition of two pedestrian refugeislands, the closure of a slip lane,extension of the sidewalk to shortencrossing distances. Thanks tocommunity involvement through theCommunity Advisory Committees,DOT was able to design a project thataddressed transportation challengesin a more holistic way.Community Advisory Committee76Chapter 5: Better Bus Service