Category: Commuters

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NYC Anti-Jewish Hate Crimes Skyrocket 182% During Mayor Mamdani’s First Month

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You Got What You Voted For 

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York NY, New York City is grappling with a disturbing paradox. While the NYPD celebrates its “safest January on record” for gun violence, the city’s Jewish community is facing a historic surge in targeted violence.

According to new data released by the NYPD, antisemitic hate crimes surged 182% in January 2026—the very first month of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration.

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U.S. Coast Guard has Officially Launches Intensive Icebreaking Operations

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Frozen Arteries: How the Coast Guard is Saving the Hudson River from a Deep Freeze

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ, The Hudson River has transformed into a jagged landscape of white and grey. While it looks like a winter wonderland from the shore, the reality beneath the surface is a logistical nightmare.

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NYC’s New Mayor Wants to Tax the Rich: Is a Billionaire Exodus Next?

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Taxation or Vacation? Mayor Mamdani’s $12B Plan to “Save” NYC by Taxing It to Death

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York NY, stop us if you’ve heard this one before: A new politician takes office, finds a massive budget hole, and decides the “innovative” solution is to squeeze the city’s top earners until they move to Florida.

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Gateway Gridlock: Will the Hudson Tunnel Project Go Dark on Feb. 6?

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 Shutdown Looming: Why the Hudson Tunnel Project Could Stop Next Week

photo courtesy of the Gateway Development Commission (GDC)

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ, the “most urgent infrastructure project in America” is officially on life support. The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) has issued a staggering ultimatum: unless the federal government unfreezes funding, all construction on the Hudson Tunnel Project will grind to a halt on February 6, 2026.

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Arctic Blast 2026: NY and NJ Ferry Services Crippled by Massive Ice Floes

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Hudson River “Deep Freeze”: NYC Ferry Suspends All Routes Amid Dangerous Ice

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hoboken NJ, Commuters in New York and New Jersey are facing a logistical nightmare as “Arctic-level” ice buildup has effectively shut down water travel across the harbor. Following the record-breaking “Winter Storm Fern,” the Hudson and East Rivers have transformed into fields of floating ice, forcing NYC Ferry to suspend all services as of January 27, 2026.

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NJ Commuter Alert: Massive Portal North Bridge Work to Disrupt Rail Service for 4 Weeks

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The Gateway Switch: Portal North Bridge “Cutover” to Spark Month-Long Rail Disruptions

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the wait for a more reliable Northeast Corridor is almost over, but New Jersey commuters will have to endure one final “patience test” first.

Starting February 13, 2026, Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT will begin the critical “cutover” process to transfer rail service from the 114-year-old, failure-prone Portal Bridge to the brand-new Portal North Bridge. While this marks a historic milestone for the $1.5 billion Gateway Program, it comes with a catch: four weeks of significant service changes affecting nearly every rail line in the state.

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Commuters : Can One Man Fix New Jersey’s Trains AND Highways?

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One Leader, Two Agencies: Gov.-Elect Mikie Sherrill Unveils Bold “Unified” NJ Transit Strategy

New Jersey is entering a new era of transportation.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, In a move that signals a shift in how the Garden State moves, Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill has announced that Kris Kolluri will lead both NJ Transit and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).

This rare “dual-hat” appointment aims to break down the silos between the nation’s largest statewide mass transit system and its most iconic toll road entity. Here is what this means for your daily commute, the 2026 World Cup, and the future of New Jersey infrastructure.

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Is Your Pup at Risk? NYC Vet Warns Dog Owners as Human Flu Cases Spike

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Can my dog catch the flu, too?

photo courtesy of www.artchickphotography.com

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York New York, with flu hospitalizations hitting record highs across New York City and New Jersey this winter, health officials are sounding the alarm for residents to mask up and get vaccinated. But as you reach for the tissues, you might be wondering: Can my dog catch the flu, too?

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The NJ Commuter Tax: Why Your Drive Just Got More Expensive and Slower

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The Jersey Squeeze: Gas Tax and Toll Hikes Hit Drivers Just as Traffic Hits a Record High

file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Commuting in the Garden State just got a lot more expensive. As of January 1, 2026, New Jersey drivers are facing a “double whammy” at the pump and the toll booth. Combined with a staggering new study on local traffic congestion, the cost of “just getting to work” is reaching a breaking point for many residents.

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Goodbye, Yellow Swipe: New York City Officially Retires the MetroCard in 2026

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“MTA MetroCard” Retires

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York New York, The iconic yellow “MTA MetroCard” is about to become a museum piece. After three decades of swiping, New York City is pulling the plug. Starting January 1, 2026, the MTA is officially ending the sale and distribution of MetroCards, completing a total transition to the OMNY (One Metro New York) tap-to-pay system.

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The Great NJ Toll Deception: Why the Turnpike Was Supposed to Be Free in 2026

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“Temporary” tolls that became permanent

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

East Rutherford NJ, If you’re driving the New Jersey Turnpike or Garden State Parkway on New Year’s Day 2026, your wallet is about to feel a familiar sting. On January 1, 2026, tolls are officially increasing by another 3%—the fifth consecutive hike under the state’s current “indexing” policy.

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Commuter Alert: Port Authority Approves 2026 Toll, PATH Fare, and Airport Fee Hikes

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Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners officially approved a record-breaking $45 billion, 10-year capital plan alongside a $10 billion budget for 2026

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Traveling between New Jersey and New York is about to get more expensive. On December 18, 2025, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Board of Commissioners officially approved a record-breaking $45 billion, 10-year capital plan alongside a $10 billion budget for 2026.

To fund massive infrastructure projects—including a brand-new Midtown Bus Terminal and an overhaul of Newark Liberty Airport—the agency is rolling out a series of toll, fare, and fee increases starting as early as January 4, 2026.

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End of an Era: Cardinal Timothy Dolan Retires; Pope Leo XIV Names New Archbishop of New York

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New York has a New Archbishop

photo of Cardinal Timothy Dolan

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NEW YORK CITY — In a historic shift for the American Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV has officially accepted the resignation of His Eminence Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan as the Archbishop of New York.

Marking the end of a nearly 17-year tenure for one of the most recognizable religious figures in the world, the Vatican simultaneously announced that Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks, the current Bishop of Joliet, Illinois, will succeed Dolan as the Metropolitan Archbishop of New York.A Changing of the Guard: Meet Archbishop-Elect Ronald Hicks.

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Massive Machinery Arrives: Gateway Rail Tunnel Boring Begins Under the Hudson River!

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First Sections of $16 Billion Gateway Tunnels Headed to NJ for Reassembly; Targeting 2035 Completion

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NORTH JERSEY, NJ – The colossal Gateway Rail Tunnel Project, one of the nation’s largest federally funded infrastructure initiatives, has hit a major milestone: the arrival of its primary excavation tools.

Disassembled sections of the first of two massive German-made Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are currently being shipped to the Garden State via ports in Elizabeth and Baltimore. The first components are expected to arrive in North Bergen later this month, where they will be meticulously reassembled for their underground journey.

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Trump DOT Slashes ‘Exorbitant’ Amtrak Executive Payouts to Fund 18,000 Frontline Workers

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Redirects Half of Leadership Bonuses to Union Employees Citing ‘Misplaced Priorities’ from Prior Administration

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a move hailed by labor unions, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Thursday that it has successfully negotiated an agreement with Amtrak to redirect executive bonus funds directly into the pockets of its frontline employees.

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