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Will NJDOT Pave Over My Kitchen?

This time, it's personal: Widening Route 21 would impact properties on the left side of the picture -- including Wiswall's house.
This time, it’s personal: Widening Route 21 would impact properties on the west side of the road (on the left in the photo) — including my house.

The following is a first-person account by TSTC general counsel Kyle Wiswall.

Tri-State often works with victims of unnecessary road projects.  But this is the first time one of the staff has been directly in the line of fire.

A couple of years ago, the New Jersey Department of Transportation put out a study called the Route 21 Newark Needs Analysis.  The study addressed “safety and operational” issues along a just-over-a-mile segment of Route 21, or McCarter Highway, a four-lane arterial running through downtown Newark.  The study suggested two possible fixes: the “four-lane concept” and the “six-lane concept.”  The DOT has yet to hear the city’s preference since Mayor Cory Booker took office (former mayor Sharpe James preferred the six-lane concept) and is waiting for the administration’s input before selecting the preferred alternative.

The four-lane concept keeps the current size of the road, installs a new traffic signal system, upgraded pedestrian crossings and a raised 12′ median/pedestrian refuge.  These safety improvements directly address pedestrian safety issues on Essex County’s most dangerous road.

The six-lane concept adds two lanes on top of these improvements.  Because NJ Transit and Amtrak tracks run along the east side of McCarter, the widening would all take place on the west side of the road.  The added space won’t solve any safety issues and will make it more dangerous.  In fact, it will likely lead to more traffic, obviating any short-term operational benefit.  But this post isn’t (entirely) about that.

This post is about an added threat from the six-lane concept, one that really hits home, so to speak.  My home is smack in the middle of the project area on the west side of the road. The new lanes would end just about halfway into my bedroom – the entire building will be razed and paved over.

Do I think the six-lane concept is an unnecessary capacity expansion that will ultimately make the road less safe, Newark more congested and exacerbate quality of life issues already caused by traffic on McCarter?  Yes.  Do I also think, as in Jaws: The Revenge, that this time it’s personal?  Yes.

A quick message for the City of Newark:  NJDOT prefers the four-lane concept!  Councilman Augusto Amador, the Tri-State Campaign, and a variety of community groups have all endorsed the four lane concept!  Get on board. Mayor Booker has yet to officially endorse either option, but I’m watching, and I’m ready to put together a home-cooked meal for the mayor and four of his friends. If my kitchen’s still standing.

 

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Eric F.
Eric F.
14 years ago

If the DOT takes your home they’d have to pay for it. This would give you a chance to buy a new home in an area that is not next to the key north-south vehicle route into Newark and not next to what will be a long construction project. Getting into Newark from the south, including Newark Airport is slow because 21 is inadequate. This makes Newark a less desirable place to do business and ironically impedes area access to Newark’s train station which is right off 21. I have spent an hour getting from I-78 to Newark Penn Station while stuck on 21, and for that reason I don’t use that train station. Newark does itself no favors by keeping Rte. 21 a mere 2 lanes in each direction. Personally, I’d rather Newark bury 21 underground and expand it, rather than have the lanes on the surface, but Newark is going to be consigning itself to lousy access to its south for another generation if this project is scaled back. I’d also note that a useable roadway is hardle less attractive or a worse neighbor than what is probably the busiest rail viaduct in the country. i know you guys love trains, but that viaduct is a monster.

Anon
Anon
14 years ago

Newark Penn isn’t really a park and ride station, nor should it be. Try one of the outlying stations instead.

The vast majority of the trains on that viaduct are electric and do not negatively impact the localized air quality, unlike a highway for example.

It is extremely busy though and probably needs to be expanded some time in the foreseeable future.

Kyle,

Can you please respond to my comments to your post last week regarding the NJ Turnpike widening?

Thanks

mike
mike
14 years ago

Eric,

The era of widening roads is over.

Kyle — hope we can save your kitchen.. and Newark!

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