August 2024
Posted: 8/22/2024 10:08:23 AM
Tens of thousands of truck trips are being taken off the roads each year in the New York-New Jersey region through a barge operation floating rail cars from Jersey City to Brooklyn. Plans are taking shape to create similar operations to convey freight cleanly and efficiently to many other waterfront locations. This use of the region’s “marine highways” was the focus of presentations at the NJTPA’s Freight Initiatives Committee meeting on August 19.
Kyle McGraw, Manager of Port Infrastructure Planning in the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Port Department, told the committee that the Cross Harbor Carfloat at Greenville Yard in Jersey City uses two barges to float 18 railcars at a time to the 65th Street terminal in Brooklyn. In 2023, 5,000 railcars were moved, with each trip carrying the equivalent of 72 truckloads.
The operation, he said, is the last of the once extensive freight barge services in the region. Until the 1950s when goods movement by truck became dominant, cargo was transferred from several major railroads terminating on New Jersey’s “very active and working waterfront” to floats bound for Manhattan and Brooklyn. “Hundreds of these transited the harbor and then the river on a daily basis,” he said.
With the help of federal grants, in recent years the Port Authority has invested $100 million to upgrade and modernize the Greenville facility. It includes a hydraulic bridge to raise tracks to accommodate tides. Still, weather—particularly wind and fog—can hamper operations, McGraw said. At the 65th Street terminal, arriving railcars are transferred to a street track and then are picked up by the New York and Atlantic Railroad for transport to New York City and Long Island destinations.
Complementing the car float, New York City is embarking on its own efforts at expanding waterborne freight distribution, called Blue Highways. It is part of a larger “Harbor of the Future” initiative of the mayor’s office which includes economic development along the waterfront to create technology and other jobs. The intent of the Blue Highways is “reactivating the waterways for freight transportation—kind of going back to where New York Harbor was in the 19th and 20th centuries,” said Chris Canary, Assistant Vice President of Ports, Waterfront, and Transportation at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. But, he said, it has a “21st century twist,” seeking to use zero emission vehicles for much of the movement.
A key component of the program, said Kerry Goleski, Freight Mobility Program Lead–Sustainability Initiatives at the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), is building infrastructure to allow goods to be conveyed to waterfront locations and then moved upland to public or private facilities where goods can be transferred to non-polluting vehicles for final delivery. That last leg can include electric cargo bikes and electric vans. While cargo bikes have much less capacity than vans or trucks, they can travel faster on congested city streets. A city “microhub” program is providing locations where goods can be transferred to cargo bikes for local distribution.
To support the marine aspect of the program, the federal Maritime Administration has provided a grant to upgrade waterfront landings at six locations, which can be accessed by barges and ferries. Yet, the program faces a “chicken and egg” problem: the city wants to find the best places and ways to invest while many businesses are hesitant to commit without the investments in place. The city’s solution is to actively engage with industry while setting up pilot operations using some existing waterfront landings. One effort is the delivery of beer from Red Hook suppliers to Governor’s Island via ferry and cargo bikes. The city also issued a Request for Expressions of Interest to solicit ideas for other pilots.
One of the nation’s largest freight carriers, UPS, is also eyeing the waterways. Chris Lutick, Director of State Government Affairs at UPS, said the company is exploring transporting packages from Bayonne to Brooklyn via barge. The intent, he said, is getting goods from Newark airport into Manhattan without “being caught up in all the congestion of New York City and getting through the tunnels.”
He said the concept could use roll-on-roll-off barges or high-speed ferries to travel between the UPS facility in Bayonne to Red Hook in Brooklyn. The complication is that UPS packages are often time sensitive and bad weather could limit deliveries up to 75 days a year. Also, the travel time to Red Hook could be 45 minutes to an hour, with additional time for final delivery, which may not be competitive with highway transport—though he noted that the George Washington Bridge corridor has consistently been ranked the most congested corridor in the nation and is subject to crashes and closures.
Even with the potential complications, UPS over the past five years has “been doing a lot of due diligence” to launch a viable maritime alternative to truck transport in the New York-New Jersey region, similar to what has been accomplished in Virginia. The company’s initial goal is to move 24 trailers, one round trip a day.
As the Blue Highways program develops other waterfront locations for barge access, Lutick said the UPS effort could be the “springboard” for other companies to create or use similar waterborne services for supplying New York City. The real “home run” from an environmental standpoint, he said, will be when electric barges and tugs, now under development, can be put into service.
Reflecting on the history of waterborne freight movement in the region, he said “the wave of the future is by going back in time and I think it's a very exciting thing for us.” A video of two presentations on marine highways is here.
Posted: 8/21/2024 4:36:02 PM
A safe, convenient and continuous bike network within the state’s largest city would feature dozens of new miles of bicycle facilities, according to recommendations in a new study funded in part by the NJTPA.
Delores Martinez Wooden, Director of Engineering for the City of Newark, presented an overview of BIKENewark to a Joint Meeting of the NJTPA’s Project Prioritization and Planning and Economic Development Committees on August 19.
BIKENewark was among five reports completed in June as part of the latest round of the agency’s Subregional Studies Program. The two-year competitive grant program is designed to provide fiscal and technical assistance for transportation and transportation-related planning studies that advance the NJTPA’s Long-Range Transportation Plan.
The existing bicycle network in Newark extends about 13 miles, including some 10 miles of bike lanes and sharrows (painted markings that remind drivers to share the road with cyclists) and another 3 miles of shared use paths. BIKENewark proposes 74 miles of bicycle facilities, including:
- 36 miles of protected 1-way bike lanes
- 17 miles of bicycle boulevards
- 15 miles of protected 2-way bike lanes
- 6 miles of standard bike lanes
- 1 mile of sharrows
Another 15 miles were identified as future potential facilities that "provide some measurable benefit to biking in Newark," according to the study, but require more study to determine feasibility.
The study incorporated the city’s master plan, Newark360, and previous studies, such as BIKEIronbound. “We wanted to build on what we already had,” Martinez Wooden said. “We know connectivity was lacking, that’s what this plan resolves.”
Along with bike paths, there are supportive aspects that will be required to sustain the infrastructure in the long run, such as bike parking that lets the public enjoy traveling by bike to work, parks, or shopping. The plan reviewed existing infrastructure, assessed demand, and what will be necessary to sustain it in the long term.
There were almost 900 responses to the online survey and interactive map. Consistent feedback across the board was that there are not sufficient facilities and there is a lack of supporting infrastructure. Among the most popular destinations were transportation hubs like Newark Penn and Broad Street stations, parks, and the Arts and Education District in University Heights. This feedback was incorporated into the plan’s recommendations.
Some strategies are aimed at increasing awareness and the promotion and education of safe ridership. At the same time, infrastructure could be implemented to create zones where speed limits are minimized, she said, along with signage and overall messaging to advance Vision Zero priorities.
The city is linking road surfacing projects and pedestrian projects with the bike plan. “We’re trying to make it cohesive,” Martinez Wooden said, keeping road users of all kinds in their appropriate areas, and ultimately keeping pedestrians alive.
She said one of the goals of the plan is to address connectivity issues, by creating a network that not only connects different communities within the city, but also ties into surrounding municipalities.
The complete 100-page BIKENewark study can be downloaded
here.
Posted: 8/19/2024 9:11:14 AM
Understanding the important role transportation plays in the local economy, Passaic County recently completed a study to identify priority locations where strategic infrastructure investments could help spur private investment, development and redevelopment.
Adam Bradford, a supervising planner with Passaic County, presented on the study and its recommendations at the NJTPA’s Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) meeting on August 12. The Passaic County Strategic Infrastructure Investment Plan is among five studies that were completed in June with funding from the NJTPA’s Subregional Studies Program.
The County evaluated socio-economic and market trends to identify economic strengths and constraints, growth industries and the needs of underserved communities. Data analysis considered land uses, population and employment and stakeholders and the public were also engaged to help select five priority investment areas. A vision was developed for each of the five areas, along with recommended actions and strategies to help implement them. The five areas are:
Pompton Lakes – Wanaque Avenue
The vision for this area is to create a vibrant downtown, for people to live, work and visit. Key recommendations are improving vehicular and pedestrian access to the parking lot west of Wanaque Avenue; exploring sidewalk widening to improve walkability and create an opportunity for sidewalk cafes and public spaces; add bike lanes; and slow down traffic to make it safer for people walking and biking.
Wayne – Route 23 Willowbrook
The vision for this area focuses on leveraging the strengths of Willowbrook Mall, the Mountain View Train Station and Wayne Route 23 Transit Center to create a regional destination. Recommendations include improving bus circulation between the three sites, improving pedestrian access between Willowbrook Mall and surrounding properties; and adding bike lanes, particularly near the two train stations. Bradford said. Walkability around the Mountain View Train Station could be improved by addressing issues like multiple driveways, signage, and traffic.
Clifton – Route 3
Route 3 is the major corridor that runs through the south part of Passaic County but is more like an interstate than a state route, Bradford said, with lots of traffic, high speeds, three lanes and all kinds of buses. Existing bus stops are on small triangular islands which are part of on- and off-ramp areas but have no protections to prevent commuters from getting hit if a vehicle came up onto the island. The vision for this area is to consolidate driveway access to businesses to improve traffic flow and safety, explore bus route improvements to make it safer for riders and pedestrians walking to stops, and fill in missing sidewalks.
Paterson – Hospital complex
The vision for this area is to grow St. Joseph’s University Medical Center into a world-class health campus, encouraging investment in complementary businesses and services. The recommendations also call for road safety improvements to make it easy for people to get to the hospital for treatment or work, creating a network of bicycle lanes, and exploring the feasibility of a train station.
Paterson – Presidential Boulevard
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Recommendations for this area capitalize on key tourist destinations like the Great Falls National Historic Park and the recently renovated Hinchliffe Stadium, with the goal of creating passive and active recreational opportunities along the Passaic River. The vision includes a mixed-use waterfront, that in addition to recreation, would feature housing and commercial amenities. Recommendations also include resiliency measures to address flooding, and improving freight movements between nearby highways, like Interstate 80, and warehouses and industrial complexes in the Bunker Hill industrial area.
The final report is available on the NJTPA’s Subregional Studies page here.
Posted: 8/12/2024 4:18:03 PM
Eight counties in the NJTPA region are seeking public input to help them develop Local Safety Action Plans.
These plans help county and local governments identify and prioritize safety improvements to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. Developing these plans requires a diverse set of participants working together to match local needs with solutions to reduce these crashes, with the ultimate goal being zero. Public involvement plays a critical role in creating these plans.
Public events are being planned, and the NJTPA recently launched a survey and interactive map to gather input online.
The NJTPA is working with Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Ocean, Somerset, Sussex, Passaic and Warren counties to develop plans. Essex, Hudson, Monmouth and Union counties received federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grants to create their own plans and Middlesex County already has one in place. Once this effort is completed, every county in the NJTPA region will have a Local Safety Action Plan, enabling the counties and municipalities in the region to seek federal funding to implement recommended safety improvements.
The planning process relies on input from residents and technical experts to match local needs with solutions that will reduce and eliminate serious injuries and fatalities. There will be several opportunities for public and stakeholder feedback to help guide the creation of this plan, including virtual and in-person events.
To learn more and stay up to date about ways to contribute to the plan, visit the project website at SafetyPlansNJ.com.
Posted: 8/7/2024 3:04:20 PM
Following vision workshops this past spring and pop-up outreach events this summer, the next phase of the Palisades Shared Use Path Study seeks public input on potential amenities, safety concerns, and missing connections via an interactive online map. Input will be accepted through Aug. 20.
The study, spearheaded by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, is exploring the feasibility of a more accessible connection for walking and biking between the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee and the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in South Nyack, New York.
The study area extends about 20 miles along the west side of the Hudson River through Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Tenafly and Alpine, following the Palisades Interstate Parkway and U.S. 9W, and across downtowns and public parks, like Palisades Interstate Park and Tallman Mountain State Park.
A shared use path at the new Cuomo Bridge – the first for walkers and bikers across the lower Hudson River in almost a century – and ongoing improvements to the GW Bridge shared use paths are expected to increase bicycle traffic along the U.S. 9W corridor in the coming years.
Public review meetings will continue through the fall, with a final study report and draft recommendations expected by the end of this year.