Local leaders ask MTA to restore Red Hook bus service

Officials are asking the MTA to restore bus service along a route in Brooklyn that was eliminated as part of the "doomsday" cuts of 2010.

During a news conference Sunday in Red Hook, a group of local politicians, community leaders and transit union workers urged the cash-strapped agency to bring back the B77 bus line, saying the alternatives the MTA put in place for transit service in the area are not sufficient. They said bringing back service along the route would cost $2.3 million annually.

The bus route was one of dozens that were eliminated in June 2010 to help the agency balance its budget, along with two subway lines. Some MTA board members have unsuccessfully pushed the agency over the past few months to set aside money to restore some service.

MTA spokesman Charles Seaton said there were no immediate plans to add back the bus line, but said the agency makes adjustments to its service based on ridership patterns.

"This route was part of the massive service cuts forced on us by factors beyond our control," Seaton said, adding, "We are constantly looking for opportunities to restore service."