Regional News Roundup
A comprehensive roundup of transportation-related news -- from daily, weekly and online media outlets -- compiled and posted every few days.
As of May 20, 2013
State senator amends plan to have N.J. motorists pay by the mile, targets electric cars only
Star-Ledger, 5/20/13. TRENTON - Realizing that his plan to charge motorists based on the number of miles traveled would be a dead end with colleagues, state Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) today said he was amending his proposal to include only alternative fuel vehicles.
2013 Jersey Shore: Route 35 roadwork put off, but drivers should expect usual summer delays
Star-Ledger, 5/20/13. Highway construction projects near the Shore this summer could make the crane a more prominent bird than the seagull.
Rolling snake eyes: Drop in A.C. revenue hits transportation for seniors, disabled
Star-Ledger, 5/20/13. Even as New JerseyÃs senior population continues to grow, funding for the special transportation has been cut for five years in a row because it is tied to revenue from Atlantic City casinos - which has been falling as gambling proliferates in nearby states.
State grants to help improve aesthetics in Ridgewood
NorthJersey.com/Ridgewood News, 5/20/13. Two recently obtained grants amounting to nearly $200,000 will assist the Village of Ridgewood as it embarks on various beautification and improvement projects this year. Of the total $87 million of local aid awarded to New Jersey municipalities this month by the state and Gov. Christie, the village will take home $150,000. The funds, available through the state's Municipal Aid program, were granted to Ridgewood to offset the costs of repaving jobs on South Van Dien Avenue. "These grants enable municipalities to stretch their resources and advance important roadway projects and other safety and quality-of-life improvements that benefit all who share the road, including pedestrians and bicyclists," NJ Department of Transportation Commissioner James Simpson said in a news release. "The Christie administration supports the Local Aid program because it helps relieve pressure on local property taxpayers."
Woodland Park to pay for road smoothing with DOT, town monies
Passaic Valley Today, 5/19/13. WOODLAND PARK - The borough has scrapped their prior road resurfacing plan, under which each local road would be repaved every 15 years.
New Jersey DOT says roads will be open as safety permits
The Record, 5/18/13. Motorists who plan to take to the streets for the Memorial Day holiday won't have to worry about navigating around construction.
Christie, Lautenberg, Menendez, Sires hail fast-tracking of Bayonne Bridge raising project
Jersey Journal, 5/17/13. On the heels of WednesdayÃs announcement that the U.S. Coast Guard approved raising the Bayonne Bridge roadway, elected officials are praising the Coast Guard.
NJ Transit's Hurricane Plan, Revealed, is Sparse
WNYC, 5/17/13. New Jersey Transit has released its hurricane plan. Even so, portions of the, slim, three-and-a-half page plan remain blacked out, including -- significantly -- information on where trains would be stored during hurricanes.
NJ Transit storm plan was sparse for Superstorm Sandy
The Record, 5/17/13. The 3Ω-page ìNJ Transit Rail Operations Hurricane Planî released to The Record on Thursday lays out the agencyÃs process for preparing for hurricanes and storms, including Superstorm Sandy.
Work on the railroad could mean longer trips to work
Star-Ledger, 5/16/13. NEWARK - A project to replace railroad crossties on the Northeast Corridor beginning June 2 will take a track out of service between Metuchen and New Brunswick for several months, cause slight delays and prompt new NJ Transit train timetables, officials said today.
NJ Transit to unveil new rail schedules
Associated Press, 5/16/13. NEWARK - New Jersey Transit has announced new rail schedules that will take effect next month to accommodate an Amtrak project on the Northeast Corridor.
Council moves to limit LED, traditional billboards
Atlanticville, 5/16/13. EATONTOWN - The Borough Council has authorized the drafting of an ordinance that would ban LED billboards in town and limit the placement of other traditional billboards.
West Milford streetscape improvements to come post-parade
Suburban Trends, 5/16/13. The town center in its current form is getting an unofficial sendoff later this month.
$1.3 billion project to raise Bayonne Bridge gets final approval
Star-Ledger. 5/15/13. BAYONNE - The U.S. Coast Guard has approved raising the Bayonne Bridge roadway, a project intended to clear a navigational obstacle that threatened the viability of the East CoastÃs busiest port and thousands of jobs.
Long Branch Creates Transit Village Designation For Area Around Train Station
Long Branch Patch, 5/15/13. The Long Branch Council has approved a zoning change for the area around the Long Branch Train Station on Third Avenue.
North Caldwell Gets $230K Grant to Pave Smull Avenue
Caldwells Patch, 5/15/13. Pot holes on Smull Avenue will be a thing of the past after crews repave the roadway this summer.
NJ Residents Are Driving Less, New Report Says
NJ 101.5, 5/15/13. Despite all those traffic jams youÃre always in, a new study finds New Jersey residents ñ over the past seven years ñ are driving less than they used to.
***NJTPA Mention***
Meeting Set for Morris Canal Greenway Plan
Jersey City Independent, 5/15/13. A second public meeting to discuss the Morris Canal Greenway Plan will be held tomorrow, May 15.
New Jersey Transit Ignored Climate Change Warnings
WNYC, 5/14/13. New Jersey Transit commissioned a study on climate change. But the report didn't raise alarms, and when Sandy roared in, the nation's largest statewide transit agency was overwhelmed, leaving trains in low-lying areas and suffering $120 million in damage to a flooded fleet.
Listeners: NJ Transit Needs Overhaul
WNYC, 5/14/13. Following our story on how NJ Transit stumbled when it came to preparing for storm Sandy, you were pretty clear. You want better management, and better communication.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to be Extended to Englewood, not Tenafly
Mobilizing the Region, 5/14/13. ìIf Tenafly doesnÃt want it, thatÃs OK. WeÃll take it!î That was New Jersey Assemblyman Gordon JohnsonÃs reaction when the New Jersey Transit (NJT) Board of Directors voted to approve the study of a modified alternative to the Hudson Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) extension on May 8.
***NJTPA Mention***
County starts regional planning
NJ Herald, 5/14/13. SPARTA -- Together North Jersey, a major planning effort that covers the northern half of the state, introduced itself to Sussex County on Monday in the first of what will likely be several workshops over the next few months and years.
Young Americans Lead Trend to Less Driving
NY Times, 5/14/13. For six decades, Americans have tended to drive more every year. But in the middle of the last decade, the number of miles driven - both over all and per capita - began to drop, notes a report to be published on Tuesday by U.S. Pirg, a nonprofit advocacy organization.
State Officials Act To Keep New Jersey Pedestrians Safe
NJ 101.5, 5/14/13. Last year in the Garden State, 163 people were struck and killed by vehicles on our roadways.
Legislation Would Empower Neighborhoods to Ask For Lower Speed Limits
Manasquan Patch, 5/14/13. A proposal before state legislators would allow neighborhood associations to seek out speed limits from 20 to 15 mph if the road has no sidewalks.
N.J. Department of Transportation awards $800K grant to Centenary College
Warren Reporter, 5/14/13. The Christie Administration announced that it will award $86.5 million in local aid grants to help control property taxes through the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Centenary College was awarded a grant in the amount of $800,000 for the Transportation Enhancement Program for Sidewalk and Streetscape Improvements. This opportunity will advance street, safety and quality-of-life improvements within the town of Hackettstown without financially burdening local property taxpayers.
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