Your weekly guide to heroic and villainous actions in tri-state transportation and development.
Winners
Transit workers, utility workers, volunteers, and first responders–As the tri-state region gets back on its feet after Hurricane Sandy, transit workers, utility workers, volunteers, and first responders have made a commitment to seeing the region through the storm. Without them, there would be no recovery.
New York State Department of Transportation–Due to popular demand, a plan to replace the deck and sidewalks of a bridge between Schenectady and Scotia has been amended to include pedestrian and cyclist accommodations. It’s good to see the state’s complete streets law being implemented.
Hoboken and Jersey City–Last week, New Jersey Transit got a $400,000 grant to study the need for a Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station at 18th Street and Jersey Avenue.
Losers
New Jersey Assemblymen Joseph Cryan and Jason O’Donnell–In response to the Jets’ and Giants’ well-founded concerns about the traffic impacts of the American Dream Meadowlands megamall project (which is located next to MetLife Stadium), Assemblymen Cryan and O’Donnell have offered up a bill that would revoke the team’s rights to collect parking fees at lots near their stadium. Apart from contradicting the terms of the teams’ original lease, free parking would further encourage auto travel to an area already choked by congestion.
Connecticut transit riders–Citing a weak economy, as well as a state spending cap which limits the amount that the state’s budget can grow, Connecticut officials have asked all agencies to make cuts to current funding levels. ConnDOT’s proposals include cuts to paratransit service, hikes on paratransit fares, hikes on bus fares, deferred public transportation system maintenance, and more negative impacts for transit riders.
Tri-state area public transportation infrastructure–The damage assessment continues, but there’s no doubt that our region’s transit systems have a lot of work to do in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. As several observers have noticed, this morning’s commute–which occurred without subways but with some bus service–was highly congested.
