New Jersey City-Brooklyn tunnel proposel

06/29/04) JERSEY CITY - A plan to build an underground freight tunnel connecting Brooklyn and Jersey City has stirred quite a debate on Garden State side of the Hudson. While some think the freight line will reduce traffic, others worry about trucks moving the rail pickups through residential neighborhoods.

According to the plans, the tunnel would be constructed underneath the Hudson River and feed out near Greenville Yard in Jersey City. Residents say Greenville Yard sits around a housing development, and the tunnel would bring extra truck traffic to local roads.

Those in favor of the tunnel argue traffic in general would be reduced. Proponents say materials that would normally be placed on trucks could instead be transported along the freight line. They believe that would cut down on pollution and congestion.

Jersey City's Acting Mayor Harvey Smith has voiced a concern about the fact that trash could be hauled along the freight line. He does not want New York City's garbage being brought through Jersey City.

A decision about the tunnel is still years away.


http://www.news12.com/NJ/topstories/article?id=112451

Residents say Greenville Yard sits around a housing development, and the tunnel would bring extra truck traffic to local roads.

Clearly they are talking about homeless encampments, as there is NO housing anywhere near Greenville Yard. Port Liberte is probably the closest, however it's on the North Side of the channel seperating Caven Point from Greenville, and so its fairly isolated from this fun.
Considering the amount of trucks and other vehicles that enter the area already (and which invaribly use the Turnpike or 440 (both with exits right at the yard), or that stub 181[?]), this is definitely a case of people needing some sense shaken into them big time...
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If you watch the video, the funny thing is the acting mayor says, "build the tunnel to Staten Island and connect it (to the rail system) there. Just not in Jersey City."

So the mentality is totally NIMBY, build it somewhere else, not here.

Priceless

Chris

Looks like a new LIRR tunnel downtown is more likely to happen than this thing. See http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/30/nyreg ... final.html

Pataki wants to use the balance of the federal 9-11 funds for this project. No-Cross Harbor tunnel, no 2d Ave subway, no ARC tunnels, no PATH-Lex. Just an LIRR tunnel that has been shown to be of questionable value economically.

This tunnel is an old idea; it was part of the original charter of the Port Authority in fact, who was charged with building it. Deflective tactics such as building the container port in Port Newark helped to steer attention away from it. Only now when the number of trucks are strangling the economic rebuild do they think about it...

As for this downtown LIRR tunnel, let's just say that Pataki's a big talker but a small doer. Consider the other idea of building a rail link across the Tappan Zee. If Pataki was truly serious, he'd be talking with NJ about connecting the LIRR Atlantic Avenue Branch with NJT's Hoboken Division in a new Downtown Manhattan commuter rail terminal.

Our road foreman had a copy of a DEIS study of the Cross Harbour tunnel project today that I glanced at for a minute. I do not have much details but it looks as if it may be in the works. I will try to snag a copy and scan some pages from it that looked interesting.
As far as housing developements near Greenville, they are constructing a new low income housing project along the National Docks at CP GREEN between Kennedy Blvd and Ave C. I just don't see how more trucks or trains are going to affect anyone in the area. The tracks are pretty much away from any kind of residences. Also, who cares if these trains are going to be carrying garbage? There are already trash trains running on both NS and CSX and shipping garbage by rail is better than shipping it by trucks where it will blow out of the truck. The current trash trains also run thorugh Jersey City right now, so why would these trains be any different?

I still dont get how the tunnel is going to connect Greenville with Brooklyn. With a suitable grade for a freight train to travel on, the tunnel entrance will be nowhere near Greenville. More like Hillside