As part of the recently announced cuts to services, the MTA will be completely eliminating the last two local bus lines to connect the city’s most populous borough with its most popular one (at least for tourists). The B51 and B39 lines, which run over the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges, respectively, are scheduled to make their last runs on June 25, 2010.  Some 900 commuters a day will be affected just by the closure of the B51 alone, some more than others.  The buses on the lines provide transportation to a relatively large number of disabled and elderly passengers who can’t or won’t use the subway to move between boroughs.  Guest reporter Chika Moses talks to affected commuters and union officials.

— Christopher F. Schuetze