Local elected officials are calling for more funding to improve the city's infrastructure, and they want southern Brooklyn to be a priority.

Rep. Max Rose and other local leaders says they want the city, state and federal governments to invest more in the MTA.

"Public transportation is not a luxury. It's an absolute essential necessity for cities like New York City to be able to function," Rose said.

Rose said southern Brooklyn residents feel the brunt of the system's shortcomings.

The local leaders acknowledged recent improvements, like the MTA announcing express service on the F and N lines. But they say the MTA needs more than $100 billion over the next 20 years to improve the entire system.

The area along 86th Street is in dire need of upgrades, according to officials. They say bus bulbs and pads need to be added so commuters don't have to stand in the middle of the street while they wait for the bus.

News 12 reached out to the Department of Transportation, which said the changes are part of its Better Buses Action Plan and that it is seeking federal funding for the project.