The following are links to a selection of transportation-related articles published recently by newspapers in the northern New Jersey region. This page is updated on at least a bi-weekly basis. Please note that links on this page may expire or be unreliable due to changes made by host newspapers.
Through May 8, 2012
New Jersey gas tax unchanged as transportation costs rise
Press of Atlantic City, 5/8/12. New Jersey’s gasoline tax was designed to fund roads and bridges but, with it unchanged after more than 20 years, it now cannot fully cover interest payments on past loans to fix them.
River Street resurfacing postponed until Monday, May 14
Hudson Reporter, 5/8/12. HOBOKEN – Due to the weather forecast for this week, on or about Monday, May 14 the postponed milling and resurfacing of River Street from Hudson Place to 4th Street is scheduled to begin, according to a release from City Hall.
Report: Teen Driver Fatality Risk Quadruples With Multiple Young Passengers
NJToday.net, 5/8/12. HAMILTON – According to a AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study released today, there is a strong association between the number and age of passengers present in-vehicle and the risk of a teen driver dying in a traffic crash. The report, “Teen Driver Risk in Relation to Age and Number of Passengers,” found that the likelihood of a 16- or 17-year-old driver being killed in a crash, per mile driven, increases with each additional young passenger in the vehicle.
ACLU wins court order to block N.J.'s new driver's license rules
Star-Ledger, 5/8/12. The ACLU has won a court order blocking New Jersey’s stricter new driver’s license requirements, putting into limbo plans requiring 6 million drivers to show additional proof of ID before securing a license.
The West Milford Township Council has cancelled its Marshall Hill Road sidewalk project
Suburban Trends, 5/7/12. A long-standing plan to install a sidewalk along Marshall Hill Road was scrapped by the governing body last week.
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Joins Avenza PDF Maps App Digital Map Store
Paramus Post, 5/7/12. Avenza Systems Inc., producers of MAPublisher cartographic software for Adobe Illustrator and Geographic Imager geospatial tools for Adobe Photoshop, announces that the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference has officially enrolled as a vendor in the Avenza Map Store, accessible through the award-winning PDF Maps app. In partnership with Avenza, the Trail Conference will make its popular series of over 50 hiking, trail and general recreation maps, covering a network of over 1,800 miles of public trails in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region, available to recreationalists and adventurers for use on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches.
Pompton Lakes residents continue to push to get their street paved
Suburban Trends, 5/7/12. Residents on Clerihew Lane are still waiting for the borough to improve and maintain their road.
West Milford's worst road could be resurfaced in 2013
Suburban Trends, 5/7/12. Apshawa Cross Road's competition has been shed as the local government's road-rating program has developed over the last decade.
New federal license standards on hold in N.J.
Associated Press, 5/5/12. The state Motor Vehicle Commission announced this afternoon that plans for implementing new TRU-ID standards would be delayed because of a court motion filed by the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Can ‘bike lane to nowhere’ jumpstart long-stalled visions for a greener JC?
Hudson Reporter, 5/6/12. It’s only a few blocks long. But cycling enthusiasts say the city’s inaugural bike lane on Grove Street is a start. They now hope this temporary lane will be the start of a much larger network of bike routes throughout Jersey City which will cut down on automobile traffic and make the city more environment-friendly.
Bus tickets to NYC to rise 9 percent for Lakeland Bus Lines riders
Star-Ledger, 5/6/12. Lakeland Bus Lines will raise its fares an average of 9 percent for service to New York City, starting Monday.
Anger over roadwork delays: Routes 35-36 project completion pushed to January
Asbury Park Press, 5/6/12. EATONTOWN — Friday came and went, and the phone didn’t ring. Mayor Gerald Tarantolo was hoping to get a call last week from somebody at the state Department of Transportation, who was expected to tell him what was being done to expedite work at the Routes 35 and 36 interchange.
Changes to Parkway off-ramp yield positive results
Pascack Valley Community Life, 5/3/12. Changes made at Exit 168 off the Garden State Parkway in the Township of Washington have been yielding positive results thus far, according to police. Through late April accidents at the exit appear to be declining at close to a 50 percent clip.Although the sample size spans roughly four months, Township of Washington Police Lt. Gregg Hackbarth said the changes implemented by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, while not completely solving the problems at the exit, have resulted in a "definite improvement."
MAYOR: BRIDGE JOB MAY RE-LIGHT DEBATE
RedBankGreen.com, 5/4/12. A bridge-replacement project in Little Silver that’s expected to take up to nine months could jam up a pair of intersections more than a mile away starting in July.
Drivers who speed at Port Authority crossings to have E-ZPass accounts suspended after second offense
Associated Press, 5/4/12. Motorists who repeatedly speed through E-ZPass lanes at the Port Authority's crossings risk having their accounts suspended. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is sending warnings to E-ZPass customers who exceed the 5 mph speed limit. The technology tracks 74 toll lanes and the information is sent to the New York Customer Service Center.
Glen Ridge drumming up support for rail trail project
Glen Ridge Voice, 5/3/12. For people living around the former Boonton rail line in Glen Ridge and beyond, it has been a goal to see a walking trail built next to the tracks. Two years after Glen Ridge and other towns officially voiced their support for a trail, the concept is still on the drawing board. But the project's supporters are still working to drum up public support.
State DOT: Route 18 To Get Facelift
Long Branch Patch, 5/3/12 - Portions of Route 18 are slated to get a facelift, the state Department of Transportation said Thursday.Six miles of the state highway that carries approximately 21,000 vehicles per day will be resurfaced between Deal Road in Ocean Township and Route 138 in Wall, according to a release.
NJ Lawmakers Call On Port Authority To Suspend Toll Hikes
NJToday, 5/2/12. FORT LEE—U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ), and members of the New Jersey state legislature today joined together at the George Washington Bridge to urge the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to suspend scheduled toll hikes until an audit is completed and reforms are put in place.
NJDOT Launches Adopt-A-Highway Program That Enlists Volunteers To Pick Up Litter
NJ Today, 5/2/12 - SOUTH BRUNSWICK – New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner James Simpson today announced the launch of New Jersey’s Adopt-A-Highway program to fight litter and keep New Jersey highways beautiful.
Port Authority CFO retiring at the end of the year
The Record, 5/1/12. The Port Authority’s top financial executive will retire at the end of the year, agency officials said Tuesday, the latest longtime upper manager leaving the bi-state agency amid pay cuts aimed at the highest earners.Agency officials praised CFO Michael Fabiano, of Rutherford, in a prepared statement and said they would begin a national search for his replacement.
N.J. failing on smog, ozone safety: DEP calls for change
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM, 5/1/12. New Jersey is one of only two states in the nation where smog levels exceed a healthy standard everywhere, according to new findings by federal environmental officials.
Through April 30, 2012
A guide for fans who would follow the Nets to Brooklyn
The Record, 4/30/12. Now, with a move across both the Hudson and East rivers, the Nets are really leaving you behind… But you diehard Nets fan aren’t quite ready to quit on the team that quit on you. No, you’re seriously contemplating rush-hour drives to the new $1 billion Barclays Center, which opens in September in downtown Brooklyn.
Speed Limit Officially Lowered Along Part of Route 206
Lawrenceville Patch, 4/30/12. The speed limit on Route 206 (Lawrence Road) between Skillman and Brearley avenues officially dropped from 40 mph to 35 mph last week. NJ DOT crews have also been doing work to install a new traffic light at Route 206 and Darrah Lane in Lawrence Township.
NJ Congressmen Call for Suspension in Toll Hikes
Truckinginfo.com, 4/30/12. Several New Jersey Congressmen asked Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to delay a second round of toll hikes scheduled for December until the agency can prove it has its finances in order, reports New Jersey’s Star Ledger.
Garden State Parkway Project Creates More Worry
WOBM, 4/30/12. A proposed Garden State Parkway shoulder expansion project continues to create controversy among several residents on two streets in Toms River.
Montclair Film Fest Will Have a Trolley
Baristanet.com, 4/30/12. The Montclair Film Festival, which starts tomorrow, will be running trolleys Friday through Sunday to help filmgoers go between the six venues and festival headquarters.
Toll industry expert: Public wants more say
Star-Ledger, 4/30/12. JERSEY CITY — When it comes to cynicism over toll hikes, commuters in the New York-New Jersey region are hardly unique, Peter Samuel, editor of Toll Roads News, an online newsletter chronicling the international tolling industry, said Sunday.
Ferry operator takes steps to fill seats in off-hours
The Record, 4/30/12. Hudson River ferry operator NY Waterway is hoping to boost its customer base during weekends and the off-peak weekday periods by giving customers the option of purchasing theater, dinner and other New York City-based activity tickets at the same time they purchase ferry tickets online.
New Jersey increases aggressive driver penalties; joins 15 other states in addressing problem
Express-Times, 4/30/12. New Jersey residents are known for a number of things and, stereotypically or not, aggressive driving is often one of them. But a new law signed by Gov. Chris Christie last week seeks to curb that habit by increasing the consequences.
New efforts to improve sidewalk ramps in North Jersey
The Record, 4/29/12. For more than 40 years, River Edge resident Paula Walsh has relied on a wheelchair for mobility and normally gets around town with ease. There are times, however, when Walsh — paralyzed from the neck down — reaches the end of a sidewalk along Kinderkamack Road and panics. "Some of the curb cuts are scary," said Walsh, program director for Hackensack-based advocacy group Heightened Independence and Progress. "They're too steep — I won't use them." While Walsh acknowledged that sidewalk access has improved greatly in North Jersey over the past 20 years, she said, "I am sure everyone feels towns and counties could be doing a lot more." The federal government agrees, and both Bergen and Passaic counties are now feeling the heat to make many of their sidewalks at intersections more wheelchair-friendly.
Transportation funding / Enjoying the ride?
Press of Atlantic City, 4/29/12. Driven anywhere in New Jersey lately? Rural roads, city streets, highways? Of course, you have. And it doesn't matter what kind of road you are on. New Jersey's roads, streets and highways are rutted, potholed, cracked, patched and dangerous. Every outing, it seems, is marked by bone-jarring, suspension-rattling bounces and bumps. And we don't even want to think about the things we can't see and feel - like the steel holding up bridges.
Red Bank station rehab underway
Asbury Park Press, 4/29/12. RED BANK — The restoration of the 1876-era train station promised two years ago is now hitting the express track, as crews started replacing the station’s roof – the first of two phases of work scheduled for this year.
Court Street Bridge in Hackensack needed more repairs
The Record, 4/28/12. HACKENSACK — The Court Street Bridge, a century-old swing span, is expected to reopen in May after bridge conditions forced more extensive rehabilitation than engineers first planned.
North Bergen road repairs complete
The Record, 4/28/12. NORTH BERGEN — Eighty-Third Street, from Tonnelle to West Side avenues, reopened Friday after being closed all week for repairs.
NJDOT improvements planned for Route 46 in Little Ferry
Little Ferry Local, 4/27/12. LITTLE FERRY - The state’s Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has scheduled a Public Information Center meeting 6 to 8 p.m. May 9 at Borough Hall to inform community members of proposed improvements for Route 46.
Views Pro And Con Pepper Public Hearing On Proposed New Bridge
Two River Times, 4/27/12. RED BANK – Safety concerns and kudos were heard as Monmouth County officials listened to area residents comment about the plan to construct a new bridge across the Swimming River on West Front Street.
Route 71 Bridge Closed Overnight Next Week
Belmar Patch, 4/27/12. The Route 71 bridge connecting downtown Belmar with Avon-By-The-Sea will be closed during the overnight hours next week while crews work to upgrade the bridge's safety barrier gates, officials said.
Hudson County-PSE&G disconnect over bill stalls new Harrison traffic lights
Jersey Journal, 4/26/12. New traffic lights at seven intersections are dormant on a Harrison thoroughfare because Hudson County is locked in a standoff with PSE&G over connection fees.
Easy swap: N.J. Turnpike Authority to replace aging E-ZPass tags
Star-Ledger, 4/26/12. Over the next two years, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority will replace aging E-ZPass transponders.
Rail signalization project in Westwood to begin this summer
Pascack Valley Community Life, 4/26/12. The long awaited Broadway railroad signalization project is on target to begin this summer, officials are saying. To ease traffic while the Pascack Valley line passes through Westwood, traffic signals at three Broadway intersections running alongside the railroad will be synced to allow vehicles to flow north and south on Broadway while the railroad gates are closed.
Ramsey to resurface roads, improve drainage
Ramsey Suburban News, 4/26/12. RAMSEY — The Borough Council has green-lighted the repaving of several roads as well as drainage improvements on one street as part of a cooperative agreement with northwest Bergen County towns.
Glen Ridge Historical Society announces preservation award winners
Glen Ridge Voice, 4/26/12. The Glen Ridge Historical Society's winners of the 27th Annual Historic Preservation Award are Richard and Edna Moriarty, who won for the restoration of the Chestnut Hill Train Station at 77 Benson St.
New Government Report: New Jersey Transportation Fund Is Broker Than Broke
Mobilizing the Region, 4/26/12. Years of borrowing and a failure to raise the gas tax for over 20 years has led New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF)—established in 1984 to fund transportation capital projects—to be engulfed in debt payments.
Transportation Committee reestablished
West Milford Messenger, 4/26/12. WEST MILFORD — The township council has reestablished its Transportation Committee.
Gateway Tunnel Could Bring Direct Train Service from North Jersey to NYC
NJTV, 4/26/12. Amtrak is proposing its Gateway Tunnel Project bringing direct service to New York City from Bergen and Passaic counties. Former Deputy Executive Director of NJ Transit and Founding Director of the Voorhees Transportation Center Martin Robins spoke with NJ Today Managing Editor Mike Schneider about the proposal.
Jamesburg asking drivers to slow down
The Sentinel, 4/25/12. In an effort to increase pedestrian safety in the borough, Jamesburg officials are participating with Middlesex County’s “Slow Down in Our Town” speed reduction campaign.
Words and Wheels: Will NYC Revive the Out-of-State Commuter Tax?
NJ Spotlight, 4/25/12. More than 300,000 New Jersey residents would have to pay a revived commuter tax to New York City, if a proposal by the Manhattan Borough president is enacted. Right now, though, there seems to be little chance of that happening.
ALLENTOWN: BOE wants buses routed away from dangerous roads
Messenger Press, 4/25/12. ALLENTOWN — In the wake of the Chesterfield school bus tragedy, the Upper Freehold Regional School District decided last week to ask state police and state transportation officials to help it identify dangerous intersections the school district’s own buses should avoid.
N.J. transportation boss defends killing of Hudson River rail tunnel
Star-Ledger, 4/25/12. Perhaps it’s because the state Senate budget hearing was starting to drag on past lunch and he and others were getting hungry, but state Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson used a food analogy to explain why a canceled Hudson River commuter rail tunnel was a bad deal for New Jersey.
Amtrak's Gateway proposal includes 'Bergen Loop' to N.Y.C.
The Record, 4/24/12. Bergen and Passaic county commuters could have a direct ride into New York if Amtrak’s proposed Gateway project is built, an official said Tuesday.
Endangered bird delays Oradell bridge repairs
The Record, 4/24/12. Repairs to the Elm Street Bridge have been delayed by the appearance of a migratory bird that has made its nest along the banks of the Hackensack River.
The bird, a black heron, is listed as endangered, reported Borough Administrator/Clerk Laura Graham at the council's April 10 meeting.
NJDOT: Route 35, 36 Intersection Construction Still on Schedule
Long Branch Patch, 4/24/12. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) says completion of the reveamped intersection of Routes 35 and 36 in Eatontown is still scheduled to be completed in January, 2013.
Seat belts on buses not always buckled
Daily Record, 4/24/12. FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Each day in New Jersey, school buses are dispatched on 8,224 routes, not including field trips, treks to sports events or late pickups, according to the state Department of Education. As of April 1, 115 accidents involving those buses have been reported to the department.
Township Council: State Should Study Route 70 Safety
Manchester Patch, 4/24/12. Following years of serious and sometimes deadly crashes along Manchester's stretch of Route 70, the Township Council approved a resolution Monday evening urging New Jersey officials to complete a traffic study and evaluation of the state highway.
NJ transportation borrowing reaches a roadblock
Associated Press/Bloomberg Business Week, 4/24/12. TRENTON, N.J. New Jersey has become so hooked on borrowing to pay for transportation projects that this year, for the first time, money from gas, sales and other taxes earmarked for transportation spending didn't cover debt payments. The state is not alone in struggling to find money to improve its roads and bridges, among the nation's worst. But federal data show New Jersey stands out as one of the nation's biggest transportation borrowers, second in total debt only to Texas.
NJ Mass Transit Rides High Transporting More, Ridership on the state's public transit systems is on the rise, but will public funding catch up and keep up?
Middletown Patch, 4/24/12. Public transportation is riding high, with nearly record-breaking ridership that reflects the shifting economy, the high price of gas, and the lifestyle of the young and creative classes. Last year, passenger traffic across the United States rose to its second-highest level since 1957, and in New Jersey, all four public and private rail transit systems are witnessing a steady increase.
Through April 23, 2012
**NJTPA Mention**
Improvements Planned for 537 Corridor in Freehold
Manalapan Patch, 4/23/12. Monmouth County is planning improvements to be made to Route 537 through Freehold from Gravel Hill Road to State Highway 33 Business.
PolitiFact N.J.: John Wisniewski claims some commuters pay more in tolls than N.J. income taxes
Star-Ledger, 4/23/12. A Democratic assemblyman claims it costs some commuters more to drive to work every day than they pay in New Jersey income taxes.
Lawmakers question Gov. Christie's borrowing practices for funding of transportation projects
Associated Press, 4/23/12. TRENTON — Lawmakers are questioning whether Gov. Chris Christie is doing enough to wean New Jersey off its reliance on borrowing to pay for transportation projects.
New Jersey Town Bets Big on PATH
Wall Street Journal, 4/22/12. HARRISON, N.J.—Nestled along the Passaic River, this town has never quite shed its gritty industrial image, even as residential development helped transform nearby Jersey City and Hoboken from faded urban centers into commuter havens. A recent announcement of $256 million in funding to replace the town's 76-year-old PATH station, which isn't even currently wheelchair accessible, could help change that.
Road Warrior: Free toll passes aren't the issue
The Record, 4/22/12. Aren't you grateful to Bill Baroni for reminding us that Frank Lautenberg used a pass to ride free on Hudson River crossings at least 284 times? Wow! That's at least $1,000 in tolls — plus free rail and airport parking fees — that were lost to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, an agency for which the millionaire Democrat once was a commissioner before becoming a U.S. senator in 1983. But it's no revelation, and it's hardly relevant.
AAA Urges Motorists: Don’t Barrel Through Work Zones – Drive Smart to Arrive Alive
Atlantic Highlands Herald, 4/21/12. Hamilton, NJ – Warm, spring weather means the start of road-work season. And with a very mild winter behind us, expect to see many more work zones popping up as state governments recycle their unused snow plowing budgets into paving projects. While roadway workers face obvious risks to their safety, nearly 85 percent of those killed in work zone crashes are drivers or their passengers, not the roadway workers.
**NJTPA Mention**
Public urged to learn more about County Route 537 road project
The Source, 4/20/12. The public information meeting about the scheduled improvements to County Route 537, from Gravel Hill Road to State Highway 33 Business, is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m.on Tuesday, April 24 in the council room of Freehold’s Borough Hall at 51 West Main St. A second public information meeting will be held in Freehold Township from 6 to 8 p.m.on April 24 at the senior center, located at 116 Jackson Mills Rd.
Fed-up resident will park near City Hall in pothole protest
Hudson Reporter , 4/20/12. HOBOKEN -- To protest the amount of potholes in the city, resident Alfred Cusumano will be parking his minivan near City Hall all week to increase awareness about the issue.
US Senate committee OKs funds for rail tunnels
Associated Press, 4/20/12. Amtrak might get $20 million to continue preliminary design and engineering work on a pair of new Hudson River rail tunnels.
Parsippany to receive $235,000 for Waterview Boulevard
Parsippany Life, 4/20/12. The Christie Administration recently announced the award of 387 Local Aid grants totaling $78.4 million that will enable cities and towns across the state to advance street improvement, rehabilitation and safety projects without burdening local property taxpayers. In Morris County, 27 municipalities will share more than $4.7 million of this grant money. Some of those projects include $235,000 to Parsippany for the Waterview Boulevard Improvement Project.
Amtrak rail project keeps right on rolling
The Record, 4/20/12. Governor Christie scuttled the "Access to the Region's Core" tunnel, and the chairman of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority this month effectively quashed an idea to extend the No. 7 subway to Secaucus. But Amtrak's Gateway Project — the third of three multibillion-dollar proposals to construct a new pair of rail tunnels under the Hudson River – continues to simmer.
Gov. Christie to sign road rage bill into law
Associated Press, 4/20/12. TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today is slated to sign into law a bill that toughens penalties for road rage.
Oceanic Bridge to reopen by Memorial Day
Asbury Park Press, 4/19/12. RUMSON — Like the open hood of a car in the shop for repairs, the north span of the Oceanic Bridge is up while contractors complete rehabilitating the 72-year-old drawbridge to reopen by the Memorial Dy weekend, a date that Monmouth County officials said will be met.
ON-TIME BRIDGE REOPENING EXPECTED
RedBankGreen.com, 4/19/12. For six months, Salt Creek Grille owner Steve Bidgood has watched with guarded optimism the progress of work to replace the 100-foot-long bascule on the Oceanic Bridge over the Navesink River.
New Jersey Mass Transit Moves More Passengers
NJSpotlight.com, 4/19/12. Public transportation is riding high, with nearly record-breaking ridership that reflects the shifting economy, the high price of gas, and the lifestyle of the young and creative classes. Last year, passenger traffic across the United States rose to its second-highest level since 1957, and in New Jersey, all four public and private rail transit systems are witnessing a steady increase. But the growing importance of public transportation in New Jersey is not matched by an equally accelerated growth in public funding.
More Political Games on Federal Transportation
Mobilizing the Region, 4/19/12. Since returning to work on Monday, House leaders have claimed they want to get moving on a long-term transportation bill, and they’ve begun the process by tying a 90-day extension of current policy to the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Resurfacing planned for Railroad Ave.
Sentinel, 4/19/12. JAMESBURG— The Borough Council voted unanimously April 11 to introduce an ordinance to initiate road resurfacing on West Railroad Avenue.
New York, New Jersey making room for cargo ships
ABC/Associated Press, 4/19/12. NEW YORK -- Imagine an infrastructure project that has the support of organized labor and big business, both political parties and a fiscally conservative governor who not long ago pulled the plug on another large-scale public works undertaking.
PolitiFact N.J.: ARC tunnel project cost overruns would have been paid by N.J. alone, senator says
Star-Ledger, 4/19/12. A canceled Hudson River tunnel project could have exceeded its budget by billions of dollars, and according to one state senator, New Jersey alone would be left to cover the additional costs.
Freeholders move ahead with contract for design of Clove Road
Passaic Valley Today, 4/19/12. LITTLE FALLS – The Passaic County Freeholders have awarded a contract to Dewberry-Goodkind for the design of improvements to Clove Road and Long Hill Road
Shortages could slow down US auto production
The Associated Press, 4/19/12. The U.S. auto industry, already stretching to meet rising demand for cars and trucks, is facing shortages of parts and materials that could limit the number of new vehicles in showrooms later this year and crimp a historic turnaround.
Port Authority hearing postponed
Asbury Park Press, 4/19/12. The long-awaited bistate hearing about reforming the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey scheduled for Friday in Staten Island has been postponed.
N.J. trucking exec warns Senate on the true cost of tolls
The Trucker, 4/19/12. In testimony Wednesday before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, NFI Chief Financial Officer Steve Grabell warned that rapidly increasing toll rates, as well as the spread of tolls across the transportation system, are a threat to consumers and to the trucking industry.
No. Brunswick Transit village project could start this year
Sentinel, 4/19/12. The construction of the transit village project in North Brunswick could begin later this year. The entire build-out of the property is expected within 20 years.
**NJTPA Mention**
Route 1&9 needs better signage, lighting and pedestrian safety measures, study finds
Suburban News, 4/18/12. Route 1 and 9 in Union County needs better pedestrian safety measures and better lighting and flood management according to a recently-released study conducted by the county.
Freehold’s goal is safer, more usable streets for everyone
FREEHOLD — Keeping Freehold Borough’s streets safe and user-friendly for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists is important to municipal officials. To that end, the Borough Council recently passed a resolution establishing and adopting a complete streets policy.
NJ Transit changes the way they handle change: Pilot program trades coins for bills
Star-Ledger, 4/18/12. Kids might like it better when the tooth fairy brings them dollar coins, but to commuters, getting them back as change can be just plain annoying. In a pilot program, NJ Transit, through the use of new technology called "Bank Note Recycler," is returning paper money instead of dollar coins at select ticket vending machines at New York Penn Station, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and the Exchange Place light rail station in Jersey City.
State to fund $5.4M for county roadway projects
Suburban, 4/18/12. The N.J. Department of Transportation proposed a $3.2 billion infrastructure program last month that will fund various local road improvements.
**NJTPA Mention**
Middlesex County Study Offers Transit Connection Options
NJToday.net, 4/17/12. NEWARK – Improving access to the many commuter bus lines serving the Route 9 corridor could increase transit use and reduce congestion along the highway, according to the Route 9 Corridor Transit Linkages Study, conducted by Middlesex County with funding from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA).
*NJTPA Mention**
Study Examines Travel Issues Along Easton Avenue Corridor
NJToday.net, 4/17/12. NEWARK – Each day, the Easton Avenue/Main Street corridor carries heavy volumes of vehicle traffic between several major destinations in Somerset and Middlesex counties. A joint study between the two counties, funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), identifies a number of strategies to manage congestion and promote safe alternatives to driving along a 6.5-mile stretch between the Bound Brook and New Brunswick train stations.
Restore commuter tax, Manhattan borough president says
Associated Press, 4/17/12. NEW YORK — The Manhattan borough president thinks the state Legislature should restore New York City's suburban commuter tax.
Android app to help students find legal parking on campus
Daily Targum, 4/17/12. While students pay a hefty fee for their on-campus parking passes, they still get hit with expensive tickets for parking in the wrong lot. Rutgers Mobile Application Development is creating an app to make it easier for students to know the parking lot in which they are legally allowed to park.
NJ Spotlight's Interactive Map: Cellphone-Related Accidents
The Caldwells Patch, 4/17/12. If accident data is any indication, New Jersey’s tougher cellphone law does not appear to be having much effect. The state passed its first ban on using a handheld cellphone while driving in 2004, but at the time it was a secondary violation, meaning drivers could only be ticketed if they were pulled over for another motor vehicle violation.
Electric vehicle drivers save $1,200 on fuel, study finds
Bloomberg/The Record, 4/17/12. Drivers of electric vehicles such as General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Motor Co.'s Leaf may save as much as $1,200 a year compared with operating a new gasoline-powered compact car, scientists studying improved fuel economy have found.
Through April 16, 2012
Road crews out fixing potholes along New Jersey highways
nj.com/Gloucester County Times, 4/16/12. While we may have had a mild winter, the season's colder days took a toll on New Jersey's roads, and now crews from the state Department of Transportation are busily filling potholes along state highways. The department’s nearly 500 maintenance workers fill potholes year-round, but spring is traditionally the busy time of year for road crews because fluctuating temperatures above and below the freezing mark help produce potholes, the DOT said.
Christie-Lautenberg grudge spoils NJ-NY tunnel project
Times of Trenton (Opinion), 4/16/12. A year and a half ago, work was under way on two new commuter railroad tunnels under the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York City, with a scheduled completion date of 2018. Then Gov. Chris Christie pulled the plug, claiming that his state couldn’t afford its share of the costs. Last week, the federal Government Accountability Office issued a report reviewing that decision. Its summary of the benefits that were lost makes painful reading. The question that must be addressed right now is how to get the job back on track.
COLUMN: ARC tunnel rehash a waste of time
Asbury Park Press, 4/16/12. TRENTON — Golly Gee, look what’s back — the train to Macy’s basement controversy. It’s like some Grade C horror flick, the damned thing just won’t stay dead, mainly because political ghouls keep digging it up.
Road Upgrades Coming in Watchung
Watchung Patch, 4/16/12. Public works projects were a topic of discussion on Thursday night at the Watchung Borough Council meeting as the borough looks to make repairs and renovations to several Watchung roads in the relatively near future.
Kudos to County on Thompson Park Bridges
Holmdel Patch, 4/16/12. Finally a bridge, make that two bridges, to somewhere--from Lincroft to Holmdel and back again.
Blinking Lights on Route 35 Switch to Normal Traffic Lights Today
Toms River Patch, 4/15/12. A tell-tale sign the off-season is ending, the barrier island traffic lights along Route 35 reverted back to normal today.
Costs, delays plagued ARC tunnel project
The Record, 4/15/12. The latest round of recriminations over Governor Christie’s decision to kill the Hudson River rail tunnel has largely obscured the fact that the massive undertaking had gotten off to a rocky start as it encountered delays and cost overruns.
Women more likely to mistake gas pedal for brakes, U.S. traffic agency reports
Star-Ledger, 4/14/12. LOS ANGELES — While women drivers are more likely to mistake pedals and hit the gas instead of the brake pedal, men are more likely to be involved in an auto accident, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times.
Group behind E-ZPass works to have toll-payment system installed along the entire length of Interstate 95
Press of Atlantic City, 4/14/12. It takes Galloway Township resident Earl Jensen a day and a half to drive down Interstate 95 to his second home in St. Augustine, Fla. So he doesn’t want the trek to take any longer than it has to.
***NJTPA Mention***
Awards given for reducing emissions in Northeast
Wall St. Journal/Associated Press, 4/13/12. BOSTON — The Northeast Diesel Collaborative has given four organizations from Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont "Breathe Easy" awards for outstanding leadership in reducing diesel emissions.
Monmouth seals deal with Ocean on Howell-Lakewood bridge
Asbury Park Press, 4/13/12. The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders has approved a $262,000 agreement with Ocean County on a $1.6 million bridge replacement on the Howell-Lakewood boundary.
“One-Seat Ride” Not Contingent on the (Now-Canceled) ARC Tunnel
Future Facts Blog, 4/13/12. An April 12 article in the Record of Bergen County makes it sound as though NJ Transit’s decision to purchase 26 new dual-mode (diesel-electric) locomotives was only made because the now-scuttled ARC Tunnel project required it, and that the project’s cancellation renders the locomotives superfluous. In fact the acquisition of the new locomotives should be regarded as an action independent of the ARC Tunnel decision, one that will still provide clear benefits.
Holland Tunnel inbound lanes to close overnight this weekend
Star-Ledger, 4/12/12. NEW YORK — Manhattan-bound lanes of the Holland Tunnel will be closed overnight for roadway “retexturing” this weekend, from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, when motorists will be diverted to the Lincoln Tunnel, officials announced.
27 blocks of Bayonne's Avenue C are to be resurfaced
Jersey Journal, 4/12/12. The ride along Avenue C between 30th and 57th streets in Bayonne is about to get a lot smoother, thanks to a $401,500 state grant.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg to chair U.S. Senate hearing on interstate tolling
Star-Ledger, 4/12/12. U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) will chair a senate hearing in Washington next week on interstate tolling, and has invited the deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to testify.
So. Brunswick updates its lighting standards
Sentinel, 4/12/12. The streets and sidewalks of future South Brunswick developments will be more properly illuminated in accordance with updated lighting standards, according to Public Affairs Coordinator Ron Schmalz.
Gridlock expected with closing of intersection
Suburban, 4/12/12. The consistent traffic congestion at the Ernston Road and Bordentown Avenue intersection may have to get worse before it gets better. According to Sayreville Borough Engineer Jay Cornell, Middlesex County officials have the busy intersection scheduled to close for several weeks, starting April 23, as construction continues on the road’s widening.
State Starts to Factor Transportation Into Pollution Equation
NJSpotlight.com, 4/12/12. When people think about air pollution, the image that typically comes to mind is a power plant or factory belching out noxious emissions from a big smokestack. But much of the pollution stems from transportation sources: emissions from cars, buses, and other vehicles cause ground-level ozone, the main ingredient in smog.
NJ Transit spends $408M on locomotives built specially for scuttled tunnel
The Record, 4/12/12. Governor Christie killed the Hudson River rail tunnel nearly two years ago, but New Jersey taxpayers will still pay more than $408 million for locomotives built specially for the project.
Transportation Services urge crosswalk safety
Daily Targum, 4/12/12. Pedestrian safety is a problem because cars and pedestrians are unaware of the law, which is generally not enforced, said Jack Molenaar, director of Transportation Services for the University.
Up in the sky, it’s not a bird, or a plane — it’s The Donald
The Independent, 4/12/12. There’s a funny battle going on in Colts Neck between the local zoning board and Donald Trump, he of the hair that looks like he’s wearing a weasel pelt on his noggin, dyed orange. Trump, who owns the Trump National Golf Club in that community, really, really wants to put in a helipad at the place so he won’t have to waste time driving down from New York, or wherever, so that he can get some exercise on the links.
Fulop testifies at NJ Transit hearing on Spectra Energy pipeline project
Hudson Reporter, 4/11/12. JERSEY CITY - City Councilman Steven Fulop testified today before the New Jersey Transit Authority on the issue of the Spectra pipeline. Spectra has petitioned NJ Transit to ensure and expedite the sale of NJ Transit-owned land necessary to build its controversial pipeline.
NJ Transit boss defends Gov. Christie's decision to kill Hudson River rail tunnel
Star-Ledger, 4/11/12. In his first public comments since a federal report spurred questions about the math Gov. Chris Christie used to justify killing a Hudson River commuter rail tunnel, NJ Transit executive director Jim Weinstein today defended the governor’s decision.
HERE’S A WAY TO HONOR A VET
Observer, 4/11/12. KEARNY – It will likely take another five years before the state completes construction of the new Hackensack River (Rt. 7) bridge that links Kearny and Jersey City. However, that isn’t stopping Kearny leaders from acting now to urge New Jersey officials to keep Kearny in mind when it comes to attaching a name to the new span that will rise just north of the existing bridge.
Gateway Tunnel to N.Y. best alternative for N.J. commuters
Star-Ledger, 4/11/12. It’s been a jarring week for anyone who understands how critical it is for the region’s economy to build another rail tunnel under the Hudson River.
Stile: Tunnel reports put Governor Christie's sales pitch to the test
The Record, 4/11/12. You won’t find it written anywhere in the fine print, but read the federal government’s report on the canceled Hudson River rail tunnel, and you could reach this conclusion: Governor Christie needs to bridge a credibility gap.
Braun: Rail tunnel project is dead, along with all the potential jobs
Star-Ledger, 4/11/12. So, now we’ve learned that, when Gov. Chris Christie canceled the trans-Hudson train tunnel back in 2010, the estimates of its cost were not what he said they were. But we’ve also learned some estimates were subsequently raised so, with hindsight, he can say he had foresight.
Port Authority official calls probe of agency a 'shakedown'
Star-Ledger, 4/11/12. TRENTON — A top Port Authority official Tuesday says he suspects Assemblyman John Wisniewski is scrutinizing his agency because political donors favored by the powerful Democrat were not given special treatment.
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