The following are links to a selection of transportation-related articles published recently by newspapers in the northern New Jersey region. This page is updated on at least a bi-weekly basis. Please note that links on this page may expire or be unreliable due to changes made by host newspapers.
The following links were posted February 17, 2010:
NJDOT Funds Road Resurfacing Projects
NJToday.net, 2/16/10. UNION COUNTY—Twelve miles of county roadway will be resurfaced this year as part of a $5.6 million New Jersey Department of Transportation funded project. Resurfacing is scheduled to begin in the May and will include county roads in Elizabeth, Roselle, Clark, Rahway, Springfield, Union Township, Scotch Plains and Plainfield.
Resident: Bus stop change falls short
The Leader, 2/15/10. LYNDHURST — Don't tell frustrated bus commuter John D. Ammirati, "Half a loaf is better than no loaf." When it comes to increasing service at the stop near Page and Riverside avenues in Lyndhurst, Ammirati is still fuming, despite concessions made by the bus companies involved.
Hertz Corp. to bring all-electric cars to rental fleet
NJBiz, 2/15/10. The Hertz Corp., in Park Ridge, said it is working with Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. to add an electric car, the Leaf, to the fleet of rentals. Hertz said it entered into a joint commitment on Friday with Nissan to introduce the lithium ion-powered cars in early 2011.
High-speed rail funding a boon to Garden State
NJBiz, 2/15/10. The White House plan to award $38.5 million in high-speed rail funds to New Jersey will help the Garden State establish a faster, more efficient rail system that will reduce congestion, oil use and emissions, according to a report from NJPIRG, a Trenton-based public interest advocacy group.
***NJTPA Mention***
Circulation Plan Update Meeting - Feb. 25
mycentraljersey.com/Courier News. February 11, 2010. SOMERVILLE A public meeting on “Making Connections: Somerset County Circulation Plan Update” will be held Thursday, Feb. 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The public is invited to share their thoughts on how they would like people and goods to move in and around the county now and into the future. Representatives from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
(NJTPA) will be discussing Plan 2035, the regional transportation plan for northern New Jersey, and its implications for Somerset County.
Who owns Califon’s Railroad Avenue?
The Hunterdon Review, 2/11/10. CALIFON – The real question is, “Who is responsible for Railroad Ave.?” According to the mayor and Borough Council, the street is in bad shape, and it’s the county’s responsibility to fix it. County officials disagree.
Oceanic Bridge weight limit continues
The Hub, 2/11/10. RUMSON — The 3-ton weight restriction in place for the Oceanic Bridge spanning the Navesink River between Rumson and Middletown will continue until the fall, according to the Monmouth County Department of Engineering, which is preparing for the rehabilitation of the bridge’s 100-foot center bascule span.
S.B. council chooses no. side of Ridge Road for sidewalks
The Sentinel, 2/11/10. After deliberating about three options, the South Brunswick Township Council has chosen to lay the final portion of Ridge Road sidewalks closer to residential neighborhoods. The two-phase sidewalk project will stretch from Georges Road to Route 522 and calls for new sidewalks and improvements to the storm sewers.
Trail naming contest winner announced
The Sentinel, 2/11/10. EAST BRUNSWICK — Middlesex County officials have announced the winning entry in the Tamarack Hollow Preserve trail-naming contest. The new trail will be called Hidden Holly Trail, a suggestion by Theresa Seidler and Joe Rutch of East Brunswick.
E.B. moving ahead with red light camera system
The Sentinel, 2/11/10. EAST BRUNSWICK — Plans remain in the works to bring a camera system that enables police to ticket drivers who run the red light at Route 18 and Tices Lane.
***NJTPA Mention***
Franklin residents input sought for Easton Avenue study mycentraljersey.com/Courier News. February 9, 2010. FRANKLIN — Public input is being sought for the Easton
Avenue Corridor Study. The Easton Avenue study is a joint project undertaken by Somerset and Middlesex counties, funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to address transportation issues along the Main Street/Easton Avenue corridor in those two counties.
$401M application to restore Lackawanna Cutoff denied stimulus dollars
NJBiz, 2/9/10. Plans to connect a passenger line from Pennsylvania to Hoboken hit a snag when an application for federal stimulus funding was denied. The Lackawanna Cutoff project seeks to revive an abandoned route that would connect passengers from Scranton, Pa., to Hoboken, accommodating transfers to Penn Station, in Manhattan.
Pennsylvania-to-Hoboken rail project is denied federal stimulus funds
The Star-Ledger February 09, 2010. A passenger rail service project that would connect Scranton, Pa., to Hoboken failed to qualify for funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and officials said the responsibility rests on Pennsylvania, a report in TheTimes-Tribune.com said.
N.J. looks at boost for Bayonne Bridge, once again
The Star-Ledger February 09, 2010. The past and the future are set to collide at the base of a Hudson County bridge in four years, when super-sized cargo ships from a widened Panama Canal will be too tall for the historic Bayonne Bridge, a gateway for goods entering New Jersey’s bustling ports.
***NJTPA Mention***
Two grants seek to improve pedestrian safety for Phillipsburg intersections along Route 22 lehighvalleylive.com/Express Times. February 08, 2010. The Roseberry Street and Ingersoll-Bates intersections along Route 22 in Phillipsburg could receive much-needed safety improvements pending the approval of two grants by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA).
***NJTPA Mention***
New Jersey highway projects expected to meet stimulus deadline
The Record. Monday, February 8, 2010. Construction has begun on nearly all of the 42 state highway projects funded by federal stimulus dollars. And one project — a $618,869 repair of the Ramapo Avenue bridge in Mahwah — is already finished, according to the state Department of Transportation. Sources: North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, New Jersey Department of Transportation.
NJ Transit train rescheduling upends riders' routines
The Star-Ledger. February 07, 2010. Katie Scheidt still had a half-hour left to kill before boarding her train home. It’s been this way for three weeks, since NJ Transit, facing funding shortfalls, dropped the 7:51 p.m. train (No. 1015) Scheidt took from Hoboken to her home in Wayne. The next weeknight train from Hoboken to Wayne is at 8:56 p.m., so the change added 65 minutes to her commute.
Montvale, Park Ridge ask NJ Transit to review operations because of delays for emergency vehicles
The Record February 5, 2010. Officials in Park Ridge and Montvale plan to ask NJ Transit to review its operations in Park Ridge and Montvale to make it easier for emergency vehicles to cross the tracks to respond to emergencies when a train is in the station.
The end of an era for gas guzzlers
Star-Ledger Wire Services February 05, 2010. The United States used more gasoline than ever in 2007 and far more than any other country. It seemed as if America's growing appetite for gas would go on forever. Well, it won; and things may never be the same. Gasoline consumption has been down the past two years, in part because of the recession.
Borough to Conduct Traffic Study
The Chatham Patch, 2/5/10. The borough will conduct a traffic study in an effort to reduce congestion near Milton Avenue Elementary School at the beginning and end of the school day.
Parkway targets toll cheats, shuts lanes
Asbury Park Press February 5, 2010. WOODBRIDGE — New Jersey Turnpike Authority officials are going after toll cheats by closing exact-change lanes on entrance and exit ramps on the Garden State Parkway, which have been used increasingly by the cheats since last spring.
County and Edison get state's help in effort to curb traffic fatalities
Star Ledger February 05, 2010. Pam Fischer stood in a parking lot off Route 1 in Edison yesterday, pointing to the stream of cars and trucks buzzing along the busy state highway behind her. It's a dangerous place for pedestrians, noted the director of the New Jersey Division of Traffic Safety.
Dover finally gets an intersection of its two highways
The Star-Ledger February 05, 2010. DOVER -- No one is sure why Route 15 didn’t meet up with Route 46 in downtown here, but they were a block apart, creating traffic along local streets as motorists tried to drive from one to the other. The state Department of Transportation, with a plan more than a decade in the making, is working to remedy the situation and connect the two highways.
Bridge to close for repairs: Locals should expect delays this spring
The Leader, 2/4/10. LYNDHURST — The Kingsland Avenue Bridge, which connects Lyndhurst to Nutley, will undergo maintenance and repairs during the spring. The bridge will be closed to traffic during some portions of the project, and traffic will be funneled onto Route 3 and the Belleville Turnpike.
Letter to the Editor: Straight Talk on Woodland Sidewalks
The Summit Patch, 2/4/10. Woodland Avenue is a designated Safe-Route-to-School for Washington School. Only, it's not safe. Speeding traffic and lack of sidewalks make it dangerous.
Readington’s Solberg Airport is safe for now
The Hunterdon Review, 2/4/10. READINGTON TWP. – For now, at least, the township will not be able to use eminent domain to seize approximately 600 acres of the 725-acre Solberg Airport property to preserve as open space. The state Supreme Court refused to hear the township's appeal on the condemnation matter, upholding the Appellate Court's decision from last August, which denied the condemnation.
SEA BRIGHT NIXES HONKIN’ BIG BRIDGE SIGNS
RedBankGreen.com, 2/4/10. It wasn’t that long ago that advocates of keeping that troublesome bridge that once linked Sea Bright to Highlands pooh-poohed the idea of constructing a new, larger once because it didn’t fit in with the landscape of the area. Now, that the new Route 36 bridge is kind of here — the Sea Bright-to-Highlands section is complete, with the rest targeted to be done in 2011 — officials are echoing that old cry, with a plea to halt signs the state Department of Transportation intends to install, saying that they’re more useful for the Garden State Parkway or New Jersey Turnpike.
N.B. officials: Traffic improvements first, then transit village
The Sentinel, 2/4/10. Plans for the proposed transit village and train station in North Brunswick will move forward, as long as the developer agrees to fund improvements to Route 1 and the surrounding roadways.
***NJTPA Mention***
Proposed Franklin (Warren) truck depot worries Hunterdon Freeholders
Hunterdon County Democrat February 03, 2010. The controversial truck depot and distribution center proposed in Franklin Township (Warren County) across the Musconetcong River from Bethlehem Township and Bloomsbury drew fire at Tuesday’s Freeholder meeting.Freeholder Matt Holt, a member of the Transportation Planning Authority that prioritizes federally funded transportation projects in north Jersey, said the project runs counter to that group’s vision. The so-called 2035 plan holds that such facilities should be built close to ports on urban “brown fields,” not on farmland far from distribution sites, he said.
Proposed massive truck depot in bucolic Warren County stirs controversy
nj.com February 03, 2010.WARREN COUNTY -- The front door of the Heritage family farmhouse here is about 100-feet from one of America’s designated "wild and scenic rivers," the Musconetcong.
JEFF EDELSTEIN: 195 (free) reasons I’m loving Christie
The Trentonian February 3, 2010. That Gov. Chris Christie is really starting to ... well, he’s really starting to say some things I agree with. I know, I know, the freezing of hell, etc. But did you hear what he said about new highway tolls? In a nutshell, he said “nope.”
Manalapan wants DOT to review traffic study
The News Transcript, 2/3/10.MANALAPAN — Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen has reported that municipal officials have asked Police Chief Stuart Brown to step up enforcement of motor vehicle laws on Woodward Road, where residents have complained about speeding vehicles. ... Speaking at the Jan. 27 meeting of the Manalapan Township Committee, Cohen said the township’s engineering firm, CME Associates, completed a study of traffic on Woodward Road and submitted that report to the New Jersey Department of Transportation in November.
Warren County Transportation program impacted by state funding cut Warren Reporter February 02, 2010. The Warren County Transportation system (WCT) will be making slight changes to its service and looking to its patrons for help as it endures another cut in state funding. The program, provided by the Phillipsburg-based First Transit, will be closed on five additional holidays during the year and will ask riders to give a “suggested donation” of $1 when they utilize any of the transit lines.
Finding road and rail funding is quandary for state officials
Asbury Park Press February 2, 2010. Transportation experts said that Gov. Chris Christie has "tied his hands" by saying he won't consider increasing the state gasoline tax to raise revenues to replenish the state Transportation Trust Fund, which will run out of money in fiscal year 2011 for any road, bridge or transit projects.
North Brunswick moves along with transit village plans
The Star-Ledger February 02, 2010. NORTH BRUNSWICK -- Millions of dollars in proposed work to Route 1 in North Brunswick – the first step toward preparing for the construction of a possible transit village on a former Johnson & Johnson site – could be considered later this month by the council.
NJ gov says he won't raise tolls or add new ones
Associated Press 2/1/10. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday ruled out increasing highway tolls or the gas tax to help solve the state's budget woes. He also said he won't approve placing tolls on roads that don't have them now because New Jerseyans are already overtaxed.
Report says tolls will be considered for N.J. Routes 78, 80, 287
The Star-Ledger February 01, 2010. A report given to Gov. Chris Christie suggested that five heavily traveled New Jersey Highways could become targets for tolls so the state's Transportation Trust Fund does not run out of money, according to a report in The Daily Record.
Gas tax hike is best solution for N.J.'s transportation problems
Star-Ledger Editorial January 28, 2010. In 18 pages, the governor’s transition team report on transportation bleakly lays out the choppy road ahead. It details the decay of the state’s 12,950 lane-miles of highways and its 2,578 bridges, practically pothole by pothole, rusty bolt by rusty bolt.
NJ funding for portal bridge in high-speed rail announcement
The Record January 28, 2010. NJ Transit has the money to begin replacing a 100-year-old movable bridge that serves thousands of train passengers each day - but frequently gets stuck. New Jersey's senators have secured
$38.5 million to pay for the construction of a bridge that, they say, will "improve reliability and reduce trip times."
Panel Warns of Delay for Hudson Train Tunnel
NY Times Published: January 27, 2010. Construction of a second commuter train tunnel under the Hudson River, one of the biggest public works projects under way in the country, could be delayed by issues about the use of eminent domain to take property on the West Side of Manhattan. A report prepared for the new governor of New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie, warned the $8.7 billion project could be delayed by four to six months if the issues were not resolved.
The following links were posted February 9, 2010:
Transportation report suggests new toll roads, raising N.J. gas tax
Asbury Park Press, January 31, 2010. Interstates 78, 80, 195, 287 and 295 are likely targets to become toll roads, transportation experts predict in response to a report submitted to Gov. Chris Christie that suggests that the state explore placing tolls on certain highways.
Gotcha: UC will install red-light cameras; WNY may consider it
The Hudson Reporter, 1/31/10. Earlier this month, the Union City Board of Commissioners awarded a contract to American Traffic Solutions to install cameras at various intersections in that city, to snap photos of cars running red lights. After the cameras snap photos, the state Department of Transportation will send a ticket to the car’s registered owner.
***NJTPA Mention***
Tewksbury, Readington, Clinton townships to benefit from federal road aid
Hunterdon Review, Jan 28th,2010. The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) has approved 11 projects in Hunterdon County amounting to nearly $50 million to be spent over a four-year period.
***NJTPA Mention***
Public input sought for Easton Avenue study at upcoming Franklin Library meeting
Somerset Reporter/Messenger-Gazette, January 28, 2010. FRANKLIN – The first public meeting to discuss the Easton Avenue Corridor Study will be held Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Franklin Township Library at 485 DeMott Lane, Somerset. The public-information session will run from 5 to 8 p.m. and will feature a PowerPoint presentation at 6:30 p.m. The Easton Avenue study a joint study undertaken by Somerset and Middlesex counties that is funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to address transportation issues along the Main Street/Easton Avenue corridor in those two counties
NJ Transit hires new chief at salary of over $260K
Asbury Park Press, January 28, 2010. NEWARK — NJ Transit board members approved the appointment and contract of former Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein as the state commuter agency's new executive director Thursday morning.
Transportation fund fix may be needed sooner
app.com, January 28, 2010. It’s been widely accepted in New Jersey political circles that the state’s Transportation Trust Fund faced a financial problem that would come to a head in 2011, when — for fiscal 2012, the 12-month period that begins in July ‘11 — all the money the state puts into the TTF would be needed to pay off debt.
Panel: Transit fares may go up; Revenue drop leaves agency with $200M budget gap
Asbury Park Press, January 28, 2010. NJ Transit train and bus riders could face a fare increase later this year, warned a report by Gov. Chris Christie's Transportation Transition subcommittee.
Aberdeen, Matawan revisit plans for transit village
The Independent, 1/28/10. MATAWAN — Both Aberdeen Township and Matawan Borough are revising redevelopment plans for the area surrounding the Matawan- Aberdeen Train Station to reach a common goal between both towns, despite differences. The Aberdeen Township Council unanimously passed a resolution extending the designation of Silver Oak Properties Inc. as redeveloper for the mixed-use project at the intersection of South Atlantic Avenue and Main Street. However, the township resolution addresses only Aberdeen’s plans for the train station, and members of the Borough Council in Matawan said they were not made aware of the resolution before it was passed.
Address root cause of congestion on Route 1S (letter)
The Suburban. 1/28/10. Spending $300 million to expand Route 1 is a waste of money. Widening the roadway is more likely to induce new traffic than eliminate existing jams; as NJDOT commissioners have stated, we cannot widen our way out of congestion.
Crackdown on speeding under way
The Examiner, 1/27/10. The New Jersey State Police are targeting speeders on local roadways, and will continue to do so.
At the Jan. 21 Millstone Township Committee meeting, Trooper Randy Pangborn, the New Jersey State Police’s liaison to ...
Panel Warns of Delay for Hudson Train Tunnel
NY Times, Published: January 27, 2010. Construction of a second commuter train tunnel under the Hudson River, one of the biggest public works projects under way in the country, could be delayed by issues about the use of eminent domain to take property on the West Side of Manhattan.
Road Warrior: Maybe Canada has the answer for crosswalk safety
The Record, January 27, 2010. While we were busy pondering the value of the crosswalk law that takes effect in April, 81-year-old Sandy Greenberg was busy thinking up other ways to keep pedestrians safe besides passing still more laws.
Weight limit on Oceanic stays lowered as work continues
Asbury Park Press, January 27, 2010. RUMSON — The weight limit on the Oceanic bridge will remain lowered to three tons that it was dropped to last year until temporary structural work is done on the drawbridge section this fall.
DOT bars commercial drivers from texting at wheel
Associated Press/nj.com 1/26/2010. (AP) — WASHINGTON - The Transportation Department said Tuesday it is prohibiting truck and bus drivers from sending text messages on hand-held devices while operating commercial vehicles.
Turnpike Authority OKs $41.3M in contracts
Asbury Park Press, January 26, 2010. WOODBRIDGE — New Jersey Turnpike Authority commissioners approved a total of $41.3 million worth of contracts Tuesday for the continuing Turnpike widening projects between exits 6 and 9, including nine miles of paving and widening and planting 6,700 trees.
N.J. toll scheme is dead; long live the toll scheme?
The Star Ledger, January 26, 2010. For normal people, the strongest urge is the urge to breathe. For politicians, however, I suspect the strongest urge is the urge to collect tolls. For most of human history, that urge was held back by the practical problems associated with toll collection. But then some genius invented the transponder. Ever since, politicians of both parties all over America have been looking at traffic and thinking the same thought: "If only every car had one, we could make a fortune."
Sites to Refuel Electric Cars Gain a Big Dose of Funds
NY Times, Published: January 25, 2010. Better Place, the closely watched start-up that hopes to create vast networks of charge spots to power electric cars, is set to receive a vote of confidence on Monday, in the form of $350 million in new venture capital.
Groups wait on Christie for fate of transportation fund
njbiz.com, 1/25/2010. New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund faces a rough road ahead, with bankruptcy looming and all of the fund’s money simply going toward paying down debt service. That would mean come 2011, there would be no more cash to repair the state’s highways and bridges or improve transit, unless a solution is found, according to industry experts.
NJ Transit promises improvements to Annandale train station
Hunterdon County Democrat/nj.com, January 25, 2010. CLINTON TWP. — Residents who are tired of the cracked pavement, potholes and helter-skelter parking at the NJ Transit train station at the edge of Annandale are finding that maybe they really can fight city hall.
A Year of Global Shipping Routes Mapped by GPS
Wired Science, 1/25/10.
Scientists have come up with the first comprehensive map of global shipping routes based on actual itineraries. The team pieced together a year’s worth of travel itineraries from 16,693 cargo ships using data from LLoyd’s Register Fairplay and the Automatic Identification System, which tracks vessels using a VHF receiver and GPS. A few hot spots logged the majority of journeys. The busiest port was the Panama Canal, followed by the Suez Canal and Shanghai.
Retired NJ Transit leader leaves mark. Fares kept low, tunnel progresses; critics disappointed
Asbury Park Press, January 23, 2010. He may not have made the trains and buses run on time, but the legacy of now-retired NJ Transit Executive Director Richard Sarles, for better or for worse, will likely be the $8.7 billion new Hudson River tunnel now under construction to bring more commuter trains to and from New York.
Changes may be coming for Chatham/Madison intersection
Independent Press/nj.com, January 23, 2010. CHATHAM TWP. – Morris County is proposing improvements to the intersection of Loantaka Road and Shunpike Road due to the number of accidents occurring at the site. The issued was discussed at the Chatham Township Committee meeting on Thursday night.
***NJTPA Mention***
Former Congressman Sherwood Boehlert and the Bipartisan Policy Center to Call for Transportation Policy Reform at New York City Forum; Discussion to Showcase Regional Transportation Perspectives
PRnewswire, Jan. 22, 2010. The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) and former New York Congressman Sherwood Boehlert will convene a forum to discuss federal transportation policy reform and its effect on New York City and the surrounding region. The event will be held on Monday, January 25, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Helen and Martin Kimmel Center at New York University (NYU). Forum Speakers and Panelists to Include:Mary K. Murphy, Executive Director, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.
Users of DOT's 511 alert system may need to re-enter info
Asbury Park Press. January 22, 2010. Drivers who use the state Department of Transportation's 511 system for text messages and e-mail traffic alerts may have to re-enter their information Sunday because the state will be using a new delivery service to get the information to users.
Plans For The 14th Street Viaduct Still In The Works
The Hoboken Patch, 1/22/10. The people of Hoboken got a chance to express their thoughts and wishes about the 14th Street Viaduct, but what impact will that have?
Turnpike built in 2 years
The Record, January 22, 2010. Pennsylvania had one; so did Maine. In the late 1940s, New Jersey decided it needed one, too: a modern, high-speed turnpike. By late 1951, it was a reality.
The 118-mile road was completed in roughly two years. It required cutting through heavily settled areas, figuring out how to build in the muddy swamps of the Meadowlands and meeting major technological challenges.
NJ Transit cutbacks in service are troubling
Newsroom NJ, Thursday, 21 January 2010. COMMENTARY: The Tri-State Transportation Campaign is concerned by cuts by NJ Transit to nine train runs on the Main/Bergen, Montclair-Boonton, Raritan Valley, and Atlantic City Lines. Without stable funding for NJ Transit from lawmakers in Trenton, these cuts may be the first of many.
***NJTPA Mention***
Zellman completes term
Sparta Independent, 1/21/10. NEWARK — Susan M. Zellman, freeholder, Sussex County, completed her two-year term as chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), citing the many accomplishments that have improved transportation for residents of Sussex County and the region
DOT awards $810K for Sandy Hook path extension
The Atlanticville, 1/21/10. U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6th District) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $810,000 for extending the existing Sandy Hook multi-use pathway system from North Beach to Gunnison Beach and Fort Hancock .
Why was Oceanic Bridge allowed to deteriorate? (Letter)
The Independent, 1/21/10. I read with interest your article in the Dec. 24 issue regarding the replacing of the Oceanic Bridge. While I applaud the efforts of Todd Thompson to assure that any replacement span would replicate the “ … aesthetic and practical aspects of the present bridge …,” I fear that what is in the cards is really a replay of the choreographed dance we were treated to, as justification for the new high-rise monster joining Sea Bright and Highlands.
Safety of Central Avenue to be Examined
The Caldwells Patch, 1/21/10. You wouldn't normally consider grabbing a sandwich, getting a haircut or picking up dry cleaning to be all that dangerous. But customers of the group of stores near the corner of Central Avenue and Elmwood Terrace as well as the neighboring residents deem this area of West Caldwell a safety hazard.
Suggestions reviewed to ease N.B. Community Park traffic
The Sentinel, 1/21/10. NORTH BRUNSWICK — Suggestions are being reviewed by the township’s Traffic Safety Committee for ways to alleviate traffic concerns coming into and out of North Brunswick Community Park. At the Jan. 11 Township Council meeting, resident Linda Warhaftig told officials that the ingress and egress along Route 130 is dangerous, causing residents to make illegal turns when exiting the park onto Route 130 south.
It’s not looking good for Davenport Road Bridge
The West Milford Messenger, 1/21/10. Oak Ridge — The news isn’t good for the township residents who are looking to have the Davenport Road Bridge repaired and reopened. Administrator Kevin Boyle said he met recently with Morris County engineers to see if the bridge, which was closed by Morris County in November, would qualify for federal stimulus funding to help in the rebuilding process. The answer was no; as a matter of fact, this bridge has been “on the radar screen” for the past 15 years, Boyle noted, as a bridge in failing condition.
There is a common sense solution to alleviate traffic on local roads
The News Transcript, 1/20/10. I have been reading with much interest about the commercial construction projects planned for Route 520 and Route 9 in Marlboro, as well as Route 33 and Millhurst Road in Manalapan. ... If we were able to calculate the regional impact traffic has on accumulated wasted fuel, pollution from exhaust, and time wasted by traffic caused by congestion, I think the cost would better illustrate the need to invest in real solutions to traffic problems instead of looking for quick and cheap ones.
NJ Students Invited To Participate In Traffic Safety Poster Contest
NJToday.net, 1/19/10. FLORHAM PARK—AAA New Jersey invites Morris, Essex and Union County students to participate in AAA’s 66th annual Traffic Safety Poster Contest. The program encourages creativity and represents a unique opportunity for students to communicate safety messages to their peers.
$44M in bid savings will key 4 stimulus projects, DOT says
NJBiz, 1/18/10. Lower-than-expected bids for transportation projects funded by the federal stimulus program have left the New Jersey Department of Transportation with tidy savings of about $44 million, which will finance four new projects previously on the back burner, said its commissioner, Stephen Dilts.
Time is running out for solution to Bayonne Bridge's low clearance
Jersey Journal, January 15, 2010.With the Bayonne Bridge too low to allow new super-sized cargo ships from reaching reach Port Newark and Port Elizabeth, time is running out before the regional economy starts to suffer from lost shipping trade, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires said yesterday.
M.T.A. to Test Eliminating Tollbooths, Relying on E-ZPass
NY Times, Published: January 14, 2010. The mere mention of the words “toll plaza” can annoy even the most jaded New York drivers. But they could eventually see some relief from the usual backups and bottlenecks at many bridges and tunnels.
Ridership slump costs New York transit authority $100 million
Reuters/Yahoo News. Thu Jan 14, 2010. NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority carried 75 million fewer riders in the first 10 months of 2009 as employers cut jobs, costing the agency over $100 million of revenue, a report said Thursday.
Travel Picks: Top 10 bicycle-friendly cities
Reuters/Yahoo News. Jan. 14, 2010 SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) – With fuel costs soaring and environmental conservation in vogue, the bicycle is making a comeback in many cities, becoming a major part of urban transportation plans.
Christie names top transportation officials
Asbury Park Press, January 11, 2010. Gov.-elect Chris Christie announced his choices for the two top state transportation posts, nominating Jim Simpson, former administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, as Transportation Commissioner, and former Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein as executive director of the New Jersey Transit.
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