Your weekly guide to heroic and villainous actions in tri-state transportation and development.
Winners
Norwalk, CT; Brookhaven, NY; Flushing, NY; and Mamaroneck, NY—The One Region Funders’ Group and Tri-State have announced the awarding of four grants that will help these communities pursue equitable transit-oriented development. The winning proposals—selected from among 43 applicants—show the innovation and commitment to smart growth that will guide our region to a more sustainable future.
CTfastrak—This week, Connecticut broke ground on CTfastrak, the state’s first rapid transit system. The bus system will bolster central Connecticut’s existing transit network, integrate into the future New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line, and continue to spur transit-oriented development in the New Britain-Hartford corridor.
New Jersey Assembly Environment Committee—In the wake of a rule change that allows the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to waive its regulations under certain vaguely defined circumstances, the Assembly’s Environment Committee passed a resolution that would compel the DEP to revoke that rule change.
S79 commuters—The MTA announced that Select Bus Service will come to Staten Island’s S79 bus route in September. The service is expected to improve travel times by 20% between the Staten Island Mall and Bay Ridge, and will bring a 21st century transit option to an underserved part of the city.
Losers
Forest City Ratner—The long-awaited transportation demand management plan for Brooklyn’s new Barclays Center arena, which sits at the site of one of the borough’s busiest transit hubs, leaves much to be desired. The plan does not adequately discourage driving, does not include the free subway fare for Nets ticketholders that was promised in 2009, and offloads the price of increased MTA service—necessary to move the area’s huge crowds—onto the New York taxpayer.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie—The Christie administration has announced plans to raid $260 million in transportation funds to close a gap in the New Jersey budget, drawing scorn from advocates and opinion makers. “To make up for the loss of transportation funds,” reports John Reitmeyer, “[the state treasurer said that] the state plans to borrow more to make sure transportation spending is not scaled back.” Unsustainable borrowing has already buried New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund in debt payments, and this certainly won’t help.
