by Tom V
With the current climate in our State and Country, the emphasis on cutbacks and reducing Federal/State debts, and our crusading Governor's toxic relationship with Washington what if anything could we possibly expect with regards to Transit?.. NJ Transit's Director was touting Yesterday the $2.5 Billion in construction the State is currently undertaking, trying to soothe over bad feelings over the cancellation of ARC. However it was a dog and pony show, there was nothing to brag about:
High level platforms at Perth Amboy
Hoboken Terminal ferry slips
double decker trains
Newark Penn station improvements
All of these were begun years ago, under a different administration. And the Hoboken improvements are not even a NJ Transit project, the Port Authority is funding the entire Hoboken terminal restoration.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/1 ... ights.html
If they are not going to build ARC, why should we expect projects such as the Lackawanna cut-off, MOM, West Trenton etc.. to be built. While these trains were not going to use the new tunnels, they were going to be adding lots of new riders to already overcrowded NEC/NJCL/M&E trains to Manhattan.
It's not a good time for public transportation in this State, at this point should we be more concerned with preventing the elimination of some lines (Hackesttown service cut back to Dover, elimination of weekend service on the NJCL South of Long Branch, elimination of weekend service on PVL/Montclair lines etc..
There's still money out there, the funds leftover from ARC, however I don't see them going to rail. The $3 Billion from the Feds is gone, the $2.75 Billion the State was putting towards the project will go to the States Transportation fund and be spent highways, County Roads etc.. Maybe if were lucky another station or two will get high level platforms, however I don't see any of that $2.75 Billion going towards developing a new rail line (Lackawanna Cut-off, MOM, West Trenton, Northern Branch LRT etc..).
There's also the $3 Billion from the Port Authority, however I am almost certain between $1 Billion and $1.5 Billion will go towards the Bayonne bridge project. That leaves $1 Billion, however I wonder if that funding would go towards the new Terminal A at EWR the Port Authority has been planning. They recently put that project on the back burner due to the all the other projects the PA was undertaking (ARC, World Trade Center etc..). The new Terminal A at EWR was price tagged at $1 Billion.
High level platforms at Perth Amboy
Hoboken Terminal ferry slips
double decker trains
Newark Penn station improvements
All of these were begun years ago, under a different administration. And the Hoboken improvements are not even a NJ Transit project, the Port Authority is funding the entire Hoboken terminal restoration.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/1 ... ights.html
If they are not going to build ARC, why should we expect projects such as the Lackawanna cut-off, MOM, West Trenton etc.. to be built. While these trains were not going to use the new tunnels, they were going to be adding lots of new riders to already overcrowded NEC/NJCL/M&E trains to Manhattan.
It's not a good time for public transportation in this State, at this point should we be more concerned with preventing the elimination of some lines (Hackesttown service cut back to Dover, elimination of weekend service on the NJCL South of Long Branch, elimination of weekend service on PVL/Montclair lines etc..
There's still money out there, the funds leftover from ARC, however I don't see them going to rail. The $3 Billion from the Feds is gone, the $2.75 Billion the State was putting towards the project will go to the States Transportation fund and be spent highways, County Roads etc.. Maybe if were lucky another station or two will get high level platforms, however I don't see any of that $2.75 Billion going towards developing a new rail line (Lackawanna Cut-off, MOM, West Trenton, Northern Branch LRT etc..).
There's also the $3 Billion from the Port Authority, however I am almost certain between $1 Billion and $1.5 Billion will go towards the Bayonne bridge project. That leaves $1 Billion, however I wonder if that funding would go towards the new Terminal A at EWR the Port Authority has been planning. They recently put that project on the back burner due to the all the other projects the PA was undertaking (ARC, World Trade Center etc..). The new Terminal A at EWR was price tagged at $1 Billion.