In The News:
Regional Roundup of the News 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.
Wayne Township Council approves changes to alter traffic at dangerous intersection News12 New Jersey, 4/3/2024 - The Wayne Township Council approved changes to alter the traffic pattern at the intersection of Armstrong Avenue and Hamburg Turnpike, where there have been 40 crashes over the past five years – three of which have been deadly. The change is expected to go into effect in about a month. However, with the suggested changes from residents during the meeting, the council could revisit more changes to the intersection in the future.
What drivers need to know as NJ makes electric vehicles more expensive Gothamist, 4/3/2024 - A law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy will charge EV drivers an annual fee on top of their normal yearly registrations starting July 1. That fee is $250 this year, and will rise $10 per year until it tops out at $290. Buyers of new vehicles will pay four years, or more than $1,000, upfront. Purchases of hybrid vehicles are not subject to this new fee.
New Jersey goes to court against congestion-pricing tolls NJ Spotlight News, 4/3/2024 - With little time to spare, the Murphy administration claimed the plan will only divert more traffic through local neighborhoods, without offering to mitigate the environmental impact of added air pollution — or sharing any of the revenue with NJ Transit agencies.
Which Monmouth and Ocean bridges need to be fixed? These 24 are on the list Asbury Park Press, (PAYWALL) 4/1/2024 - In early March, the Route 71 bridge linking Belmar and Avon stopped opening to boat traffic. The unexpected closure due to a mechanical failure adds the bridge to a list of bridges in New Jersey with poor ratings that are proposed to be monitored more frequently, rehabilitated or replaced.
Baltimore bridge collapse will send more cargo ships to N.J. NJ.com, 3/28/2024 - The effects of Tuesday's collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor will be felt in New Jersey, with more ships detoured to the nation’s second-busiest container port, and a renewed focus on safety, an engineering expert said.
New Jersey Gov. Murphy renews state’s Transportation Trust Fund for five years Mass Transit Magazine, 3/27/2024 - On March 26, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation to renew the state’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) for five more years, which will invest billions to modernize and maintain New Jersey’s statewide transportation infrastructure while providing additional capital funding for New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit).
It’s going to cost more for you to drive in N.J. — for both gas and electric cars NJ.com, 3/26/2024 (PAYWALL) - It’s going to get more expensive for you to drive in New Jersey, no matter what kind of car you have. New Jersey drivers will see their gas taxes incrasing on an annual basis, and buyers of electric vehicles will begin paying a first-ever annual fee for road maintenance starting July 1, under a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy Tuesday.
NYC ports expect increased shipping traffic following Baltimore bridge collapse AMNY, 3/26/2024 - The Port Authority said it expects additional cargo traffic at the Port of New York and New Jersey from ships diverting course away from Baltimore. The bi-state agency says it has the capacity to handle more cargo than it currently is, noting it saw 20% more cargo in 2021 than now, but also expects many ships to divert instead to other East Coast ports further south, like Norfolk, Va., or Savannah, Geo.
Gov. Murphy signs gas tax hike, electric vehicle fee into law New Jersey Monitor, 3/26/2024 - The bill, which passed both chambers in near party-line votes, will raise revenue targets for New Jersey’s gas taxes by roughly 18% over five years, an increase lawmakers have said would add roughly 2 cents to the state’s fuel levies annually.
Get ready for a smoother landing. Newark airport’s busiest runway is getting repaved. NJ.com, 3/22/2024 (PAYWALL) - A smoother landing and take off are coming to Newark airport's busiest runway. Port Authority commissioners authorized spending $134 million on a project that would rehabilitate the surface of the runway that handled 213,149 total flights in 2023, which is approximately 50.8% of all operations at the airport.
County Commissioners Condemn Gas Tax, Toll Hikes Jersey Shore Online, 3/22/2024 - Recent state increases of the gas tax, tolls and transit fares are just too much for residents to handle according to members of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners. With those increases looming the Commissioners made their position clear that commuters and motorists can’t continue to absorb the burden of higher taxes and fees.
Port Authority OKs new Newark transit hub NJ Spotlight News, 3/21/2024 - The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey unanimously approved a new, $160 million transit hub along Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark’s South Ward that would link it to the Newark AirTrain Station.
How to report a pothole in New Jersey and get it fixed NorthJersey.com, 3/21/2024 - Potholes are a persistent nuisance for drivers across New Jersey, causing damage to vehicles and posing safety risks. However, residents can take action to address these road hazards by reporting them to the appropriate authorities.
Auto deaths by NJ elderly drivers raise questions on when seniors should give up the keys NorthJersey.com, 3/18/2024 - New Jersey is a state that doesn't make it easy to give up the keys. Much of the state's infrastructure was built around driving. Much of its transit system was built for commuters to get into New York, not around the state. Loss of driving becomes a loss of independence, especially in classic postwar suburbs, where some communities don't even have sidewalks.
The reasons why NJ Transit’s 15% fare hike will go ahead NJ.com, 3/17/2024 (PAYWALL) - Gov. Phil Murphy proposed a Corporate Transit Fee, announced in his Feb. 27 budget address, that would provide $859 million in funding for Fiscal Year 2026, which will avert a $766 million gap in upcoming NJ Transit budgets. For now, NJ Transit is largest transit agency in the nation without a dedicated funding source for operations, but that would change under this proposal.
An automatic gas tax hike and new electric vehicle fee race toward passage in N.J. NJ.com, 3/14/2024 - The legislation proposes changing the state’s gas tax formula in fiscal year 2025, which starts on July 1, to raise $2.3 billion in revenue for the trust fund that finances major highway and transit projects. That revenue goal would increase to $2.115 billion in fiscal year 2026, $2.119 billion in FY 2027, $2.366 billion in FY 2028 and $2.366 billion in FY 2029.
NJ Transit extends light rail contract while looking for a new operator NJ.com, 3/13/2024 (PAYWALL) - NJ Transit’s board voted Tuesday to approve a $42 million extension of the contract with the legacy company that built the agency’s first light rail system almost 25 years ago and has been contracted to operate and maintain it since. The current contract with Twenty First Century rail ends on April 14, 2025.
$10B Midtown Bus Terminal project advances NJBIZ, 3/13/2024 - Under the agreement announced Tuesday, New York City has committed 40 years of tax revenue. That will help the Port Authority raise an estimated $2 billion – or 20% of project costs – from three potential, new commercial developments. Two will sit atop the updated bus terminal while the third is a nearby site that the Port Authority owns with private entities.
Hoboken Connect Project to 'Transform the Terminal' Set to Break Ground Tapinto.net, 3/13/2024 - A project that will “transform” the Hoboken Terminal, turning it into one of the “crown jewels” of the NJ TRANSIT system is set to get underway. The Hoboken Connect project will break ground in the coming months after a contract was approved with LCOR Hoboken Rail Station Redevelopment by NJ TRANSIT.
Roadwork may detour traffic along Edison, Metuchen border for six months MyCentralJersey.com, 3/13/2024 - Motorists traveling the Edison and Metuchen border just off Route 1 may soon face a six-month detour. The Middlesex County Engineer's Office has elected to replace the existing culvert on Orchard Street over a tributary to Mill Brook to meet current loading standards and better accommodate pedestrians.
These are the concerns shared by NJ Transit riders opposed to a fare increase NorthJersey.com, 3/13/2024 - Distrust of the agency’s decisions, requests for changes and in some cases outright opposition to a fare increase proposal were the overarching themes NJ Transit’s board members heard from riders during 10 public hearings last week. Of NJ Transit’s 750,000 average daily weekday riders, 121 spoke at the in-person-only hearings.
Why New Jersey's electric vehicle mandate is stalling Asbury Park Press, 3/13/2024 - Dave Bye of Eatontown wanted to buy an electric vehicle, but when his condo association refused to let him install a charger at his parking space or in any of their lots, his dreams drained like a dying battery.
NJ Transit may finally have dedicated funding, but still needs a 15% fare hike, officials says NJ.com, 3/12/2024 (PAYWALL) - NJ Transit’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget is projected to top $3 billion, the largest budget in its history and for the first time in five years, doesn't predict a future fiscal cliff in approaching years. A year ago that wasn’t the case, when an initial $119 million fiscal cliff was predicted for fiscal year 2025 that starts on July 1. That increased to $917 million for fiscal year 2026 and $957 million the following fiscal year.
Get ready for months of detours as NJ replaces Squirrelwood Road bridge over Route 80 NorthJersey.com, 3/12/2024 - Drivers should prepare for months of detours as the $12.2 million Squirrelwood Road bridge replacement project by the state Transportation Department gets started in April. For much of the project, drivers headed north and looking to cross the bridge will be rerouted first to Route 80 east to Exit 57B, where they will make a U-turn and get on Route 80 west back to Squirrelwood Road, and then get on northbound Squirrelwood Road/Nagle Street.
NJ's transit stations could help spur more affordable housing NJ Spotlight News, 3/11/2024 - Transit-oriented development could be key to solving the region’s affordable housing crisis, according to a new report from the Regional Plan Association that found 74,000 acres of underutilized land surrounding commuter rail stations in New Jersey and New York. The report found 144 transit stations that could see rezoning and redevelopment but there are plenty of obstacles to mixed-use development as well.
15% NJ Transit fare hike would be a ‘huge burden’ on working New Jerseyans, riders say NJ.com, 3/9/2024 - Friday was the end of a public comment period on the potential hike. NJ Transit’s board of directors is scheduled to vote on the fare increase on April 10. Pending approval it would take effect on July 1. After that, the proposal calls for an automatic 3% annual fare increase starting on July 1, 2025, and occurring annually without an end date.
Central Jersey infrastructure projects may get $25M in federal funding MyCentralJersey.com, 3/8/2024 - Projects ranging from electric passenger vans in Edison and the restoration of Camp Cromwell in Bridgewater to road projects in Plainfield, South Brunswick and Dunellen are among those in Central Jersey included in a federal funding bill passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
License-plate readers are coming to these N.J. bridges NJ.com, 3/7/2024 - Seeing an increasing need to better monitor those driving between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, authorities are installing license-plate-reading cameras on bridges linking the Garden State to Philadelphia and its suburbs.
Assembly panel advances bill to hike gas tax after hearing mixed reception New Jersey Monitor, 3/7/2024 - An Assembly panel in a party-line vote Thursday approved a bill that would increase New Jersey's gas taxes and impose an annual fee on electric vehicle registrations to continue funding the state’s transportation trust fund. The bill would raise the gas taxes’ $2 billion revenue target by $366 million over five years, with the first $32 million increase set to hit on Jan. 1, and it would levy an annual $250 fee on zero-emission vehicle registrations that would rise to $290 by July 2028.
Murphy proposes new fee on warehouse truck traffic NJ Spotlight News, 3/6/2024 - Gov. Phil Murphy proposed a $1 tax for every truck movement and projected that the revenue would amount to $10 million for the state’s general fund. Part of Murphy’s fiscal year 2025 spending plan presented last week, the money would go toward alleviating the impact on traffic and roads.
NJ wins money for parks, shoreline and more in federal budget bill NJ Spotlight News, 3/6/2024 - NJ TRANSIT is in line to get $1.6 million for a light transit project in Edison. The bill also contains funding for a slew of water projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete in the waters that bound New York and New Jersey, including $7 million to deepen the New York-New Jersey harbor channel, $13 million for “drift removal” in the harbor and $54.1 million to run the harbor.
After a 5-year delay, Route 23 bridge replacement has begun. Expect lane closures NorthJersey.com, 3/6/2024 - The tricky project to replace the bridge has shifted the traffic to the left to create a work zone on the right side of the bridge over the Pequannock River between Reservoir and Canistear roads. The right lane and shoulder is expected to remain closed through the summer, according to local officials. The closure will allow workers to demolish and rebuild the right side of the bridge in a staged reconstruction project.
You'll be hit with a new tax increase soon if N.J. leaders get their way NJ.com, 3/5/2024 - New Jersey is poised to gradually increase its tax on gasoline by nearly 10 cents a gallon and charge a fee on electric vehicles over the next five years, under a new plan pushed by state leaders to keep state infrastructure funding from falling off a cliff. It would also impose a fee ranging from $250 to $290 a year on electric vehicles over that period.
NJ Transit needs to delay 15% fare hike, lawmakers demand NJ.com, 3/5/2024 - Retired state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg isn’t done with NJ Transit. She and state Assemblywoman Shama Haider, D-Bergen, said NJ Transit’s board of directors should delay an April vote on am 15% fare increase until more information is known about the business transit fee Gov. Phil Murphy proposed during last week’s budget message.
Murphy’s planned corporate transit tax to fund NJ Transit prompts praise and jeers NJ Monitor, 2/28/24 - Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposal to fund NJ Transit with a new business tax is drawing mixed reactions, with critics jeering it as a poorly veiled rebranding of New Jersey’s recently sunsetted corporate business tax surcharge and supporters welcoming a dedicated revenue stream for the troubled transit agency.
To fix NJ Transit budget woes, Murphy proposes new corporate tax NorthJersey.com, 2/27/2024 - A plan to address NJ Transit's gloomy fiscal picture is the centerpiece of Gov. Phil Murphy's budget proposal for fiscal year 2025. A new “corporate transit fee” Murphy pitched in his budget speech Tuesday would levy a 2.5% charge on businesses that make more than $10 million in profit annually, and the revenue — estimated to start off at more than $800 million a year — would go to to NJ Transit.
NJ county launches own rideshare, offers free rides for 2 weeks NJ1015.com, 2/26/2024 -Some New Jersey residents who need a local ride can get one for free until March 12. On Tuesday, Middlesex County is launching its RIDE On Demand service in an effort to address the county's transit gaps. But it's running in only one city for the time being.
New Jersey Program Will Electrify School Buses Across the State thetruthaboutcars.com, 2/23/2024 - Love them or hate them, there are quite a few use cases in which an EV is the ideal vehicle. Public transportation, route deliveries, and school buses are great examples of vehicle types that would benefit from electrification, and New Jersey is putting money behind that thought to send electric school buses to 18 school districts.
'Sleeping giant': NJ Transit eyes affordable housing, sidewalks for Route 9 bus commuters APP.com, 2/23/2024 - Could the next round of affordable housing be built along Route 9 in Monmouth County? NJ Transit is looking into ways to transform Route 9 so that it is becomes a more commuter- and pedestrian-friendly corridor. The ideas, which vary from town to town, could include creating better pedestrian access to bus stops, filling vacant retail spaces with commuter-oriented stores and allowing for more housing along Route 9.
Feds deliver $19M for electric school buses in NJ NJ Spotlight News, 2/23/2024 - The Biden administration is sending $19 million to some of New Jersey’s largest districts to put more electric school buses on the road. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) on Thursday touted the funds going toward new busses in five districts: Union City, Elizabeth, Newark, Bloomfield and Lakewood. The grant was awarded to Van-Con, Inc., which serves those districts and will use the money to purchase 42 new electric school buses and 28 bus chargers.
Newly renovated PATH station opens today in Harrison News12 New Jersey, 2/21/2024 - A new station house in Harrison opens to the public today, replacing a nearly century-old structure. At its peak in 2019, 2.6 million customers used Harrison Station, according to PATH officials.
Hoboken councilman takes to the streets as e-delivery rider NJSpotlightNews.org, 2/20/2024 - Hoboken City Councilman Paul Presinzano is keeping true to a promise to try keep pedestrians safe from the surge of e-bikes that have been zipping up and down sidewalks of the city. His latest effort: Presinzano took a part-time job as an e-delivery rider with UberEats to understand challenges that delivery riders face.
E-bikes will have to be registered with the N.J. MVC under proposed law NJ.com, 2/19/2024 - A bill that would require owners of low-speed electric bikes and scooters to register and insure them like cars is being sent back to its author for changes after concerns were expressed on Thursday from opponents ranging from insurance industry, to bike companies and advocates.
Vehicle been recalled? New bill will make it easier to find out NJ.com, 2/19/2024 -Vehicle owners, especially those who bought one used, could have an extra way to learn if the manufacturer recalled the vehicle for a safety defect under a proposed bill that would require that information be included with the annual registration notice.
Hudson riverbed will be stabilized for new Gateway rail tunnel NorthJersey.com, 2/16/2024 - The Gateway Development Commission has authorized a $100 million contract to begin the first phase of ground stabilization work — the first "heavy construction" and underwater work — for the $16 billion Hudson River railroad tunnels project.
Will one of Central Jersey's worst traffic bottlenecks finally be fixed? MyCentralJersey.com, 2/14/2024 - One of the busiest intersections and congested traffic bottlenecks in Central Jersey is being targeted for improvements. The state Department of Transportation has unveiled plans to upgrade the intersection of Route 22 and Route 202-206 in Bridgewater, though construction may not begin until the summer of 2028.
As engineers threaten strike, NJ Transit's newest board member is a labor leader NorthJersey.com, 2/13/2024 - The NJ Transit board is gaining a labor leader with experience in the construction sector, says its newest member, Anthony Abrantes. Abrantes, who will join the board Tuesday for his first meeting, is the assistant executive secretary-treasurer for the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.
New Brunswick's George Street may become a permanent pedestrian plaza MyCentralJersey.com, 1/17/24 - Could George Street between Bayard and Albany streets become a permanent pedestrian mall, offering outdoor dining, performances and festivals? One option calls for the conversion of George Street into a pedestrian mall that features year-round activity, possibly including outdoor ice skating.
Efforts to give NJ Transit board more teeth appear derailed NorthJersey.com, 1/17/24 - Prioritizing the customer experience is a focus of transit agencies around the country, including WMATA in Washington, MARTA in Atlanta and Sound Transit in Seattle — and no two agencies address the issue the same way.
Hillsborough mayor vows to keep residents updated on Route 206 project MyCentralJersey.com, 1/16/24 - Mayor Robert Britting said township officials will meet next month with state Department of Transportation representatives to get an update on the project that has been delayed since the state fired Konkus Co., the contractor on the widening project, in spring of 2023.
Hillsborough mayor vows to keep residents updated on Route 206 project MyCentralJersey.com, 1/16/24 - Mayor Robert Britting said township officials will meet next month with state Department of Transportation representatives to get an update on the project that has been delayed since the state fired Konkus Co., the contractor on the widening project, in spring of 2023.
NJ towns booming with development in 2024 NJTPA Mention
MyCentralJersey.com, 1/5/2024 - In coming years, Hamilton Street from Main Street to Second Street will become a pedestrian plaza. Bound Brook received a $1 million federal grant administered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation in partnership with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to undertake the project.
Gateway CEO reflects on 2023 milestones, turns to 2024 goals NJBiz.com,1/3/2024 - “2023 was a vitally important year for the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP),” Gateway Development Commission CEO Kris Kolluri wrote on Dec. 27 in his end-of-year note to GDC commissioners, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Amtrak leaders.