Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT operations, customer service and police personnel are taking steps to minimize delays, and ensure service reliability and safety due to the anticipated winter storm. All customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com before traveling for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip.
Snow is expected to arrive in the early morning hours of Friday, March 10, and the status of the system may change as the storm progresses. NJ TRANSIT will continue to monitor the weather conditions and impacts to the morning rush hour will be determined during the next several hours. Customers should continue to check our web site at www.njtransit.com where they can sign up for service alerts as well as monitor social media channels and broadcast, web, and print media for additional updates.
For the latest travel information, customers should visit njtransit.com, access NJ TRANSIT’s Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT or listen to broadcast traffic reports. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system (www.njtransit.com/mytransit), which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your phone. Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555.
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect: To give customers additional travel options during expected winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring for the entire service day on Friday, March 10, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, bus or light rail. For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge.
NJ TRANSIT will closely monitor the crowds at New York Penn Station, Hoboken Terminal and the Port Authority Bus Terminal and make adjustments to service as necessary.
The Corporation is preparing to minimize disruptions and delays to the extent possible, particularly in light of the potential snow that may impact portions of the area. Rail and light rail crews and equipment are on standby to quickly respond to downed trees, power outages or other issues that may arise. In addition, NJ TRANSIT will be positioning locomotives at strategic locations across the rail system to rapidly respond in the event of a disabled train.
Customers are advised of the following:
Systemwide: NJ TRANSIT plans to operate a regular weekday schedule on Friday, March 10. Depending on the impact of the storm, it may be necessary for NJ TRANSIT to modify transit service as conditions change.
Bus Service: While every effort will be made to continue operating bus service throughout the state, customers may experience delays or detours on their routes in the event of extreme winter weather conditions. Customers are advised to plan accordingly and anticipate disruptions to bus service.
Travel Advice:
For the latest travel information, visit njtransit.com or access our Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT prior to starting your trip. In the event of delays or service adjustments, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone. (If you are not yet a My Transit subscriber, we encourage you to sign up at www.njtransit.com/mytransit) Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555 or from broadcast traffic reports.
Listen closely to public address announcements at stations for late-breaking service information.
Build additional travel time into your trip to a station, terminal or bus stop.
Stairs, flooring and platforms can be slippery, so please use caution when walking along wet surfaces or any outdoor surface exposed to the weather. Use extra care when boarding or exiting buses and trains.
Report slippery or unsafe conditions to bus operators, train crews or NJ TRANSIT staff.
If you park, ensure your car is stocked with a snow brush and ice scraper so you can clear your car upon returning to the lot.
NJ TRANSIT is prepared to handle the impending winter weather:
Snow plows and salt spreaders are ready for service and snow-removal contracts are in place with outside vendors.
NJ TRANSIT is well-stocked snow-melting supplies, and hundreds of shovels and snow blowers.
NJ TRANSIT has performed maintenance and testing on its two rail-mounted jet snow blowers in the event they are needed to help clear train tracks of snow and ice, particularly in rail yards.
Rail switches, switch heaters and overhead wires were inspected as part of NJ TRANSIT’s preventative maintenance program.
Onboard heating systems, thermostats, weather stripping and electronic components have been inspected on NJ TRANSIT railcars, light rail cars and locomotives.
Bus maintenance personnel have inspected and performed necessary maintenance on a fleet of more than 2,200 buses – from the heating and airbrake systems, to the engine fluids, tires, windshield wipers and doors.
2. Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act
3. Roll Call – Village Clerk
4. Flag Salute and Moment of Silence
5. Acceptance of Financial Reports
6. Approval of Minutes
7. Proclamations
A. Dad’s Night Days – Hawes School and Somerville School
B. Read Across America Day
C. Super Science Saturday
8. Swearing-in of Police Officers
Police Officer Douglas Busche
Police Officer Douglas Christopher
Police Officer Brandon Donnelly
Police Officer Jack Knudsen
Police Officer Zachary Knudsen
Police Officer Kyle Scarpa
9. Swearing-in of Police Lieutenant Brian Pullman
10. Swearing-in of Police Captain William Amoruso
11. Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 3 minutes
per person – 40 minutes in total)
12. Village Manager’s Report
13. Village Council Reports
14. ORDINANCES – RIDGEWOOD WATER
NONE
15. RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 17-26 THROUGH 17-37 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
17-26 Title 59 Approval – Landscaping Services – Approves the plans and specifications for Landscaping Services prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
17-27 Award Contract – Landscaping Services (NTE $113,820) – Awards the second year of a two- year contract to the sole bidder, Pat Scanlan, 14 Plains Drive, New City, NY
17-28 Title 59 Approval – Cold Water Meters and Accessories – Approves the plans and specifications for Cold Water Meters and Supplies prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
17-29 Award Contract – Cold Water Meters and Accessories – Awards the first year of a two- year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Rio Supply, Inc., 100 Allied Parkway, Sicklerville, NJ
17-30 Title 59 Approval – Pipe, Appurtenances, and Service Materials – Approves the plans and specifications for Furnish and Deliver Pipe, Appurtenances and Service Materials for Water Distribution Maintenance prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
17-31 Award Contract – Pipe, Appurtenances, and Service Materials – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the following lowest responsible bidders in various categories of materials: Water Works Supply Co., Inc., 660 State Highway 23, Pompton Plains, NJ; HD Waterworks Supply, 61 Gross Avenue, Edison, NJ; and Capitol Supply Construction Products, Inc., 149 Old Turnpike Road, Wayne, NJ
17-32 Title 59 Approval – Furnishing and Delivering of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution –Approves the plans and specifications for Furnishing and Delivering of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution prepared by the Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title 59
17-33 Award Contract – Furnishing and Delivering of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution ($3.62/gallon)- Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the sole responsible bidder, Miracle Chemical Company, 1151B Highway 33, Farmingdale, NJ
17-34 Title 59 Approval – Servicing and Repair of Water Pumping Facilities – Approves the plans and specifications for Servicing and Repair of Potable Water Storage Tanks, prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
17-35 Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of Water Pumping Facilities – Approves the plans and specifications for Servicing and Repair of Potable Water Pumping Facilities, prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
17-36 Award Professional Services Contract – USEPA Compliance Services for Evaluation of Groundwater Wells (NTE $35,000) – Awards a Professional Services contract to Legette, Brashears & Graham, 600 East Crescent Avenue, Upper Saddle River, NJ. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed with the Village Clerk’s office.
17-37 Authorize Change Order – Installation of Backup Power at Critical Facilities (NTE $62,445) – Authorizes the change order which was necessary due to additional permitting work, including Planning Board approvals a the Township of Wyckoff and the Borough of Midland Park, as well as NJDEP flood plain and wetland permits
16. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION
3581 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Prohibit Parking – Sections of Sherman Place – Designates several areas for no parking at any time on various sections of Sherman Place, due to safety concerns
3582 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Angle Parking – Allows vehicles to be parked in parking lots with perpendicular parking stall spaces with either the front or rear of the vehicle facing perpendicular to the nearest curb line. Vehicles parked in angled parking stall spaces must park with the front of the vehicle facing the nearest curb line. Vehicles parked in parallel parking spaces must have the front of the vehicle facing in the travel of direction of the roadway nearest the parking space.
3583 – Amend Chapter 238 – Sewers and Sewage Disposal – Addition of Masticated Food Waste – Adds masticated food waste and its definition to the liquid waste acceptance program, including the basis for billing
3584 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Sewers and Sewage Disposal – Liquid Waste Acceptance Program Fees – Amends the fees charged for various acceptable liquid wastes including grey water/septage; masticated flowable food waste; wastewater meeting certain requirements; and pumpout FOG (fats, oil, and grease) of various concentrations
3585 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Bus Stops – Amends the Village’s bus stop ordinance so that the bus stops listed reflect the bus stops which exist in the Village. It also lists the bus stop numbers.
3586 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Significant Sewer Discharger Fees – Increases the fees for significant sewer dischargers from $4.03 per thousand gallons of flow in excess of one EDU as measured by water meter consumption to $4.27 per thousand gallons of flow. This increase is includes commercial/industrial/institutional as well as tax exempt and tax credited users. This fee was last increased in 2010.
3587 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Graydon Pool Fees – The fees for adult, child, and day passes will remain the same for 2017 and 2018. There will be a late season discount of 50% off of the price on or after August 1st. There will also be a 10% early bird discount for those badges purchased in the month of April.
17. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING
3578 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Day Camp Fees
3579 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Institutional and Religious Uses and Public Utilities
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 17-38 THROUGH 17-53 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
17-38 Authorize Membership Agreement – Cooperative Purchasing Program – North Jersey Wastewater Cooperative Pricing System through Lead Agency Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission – Authorizes the Acting Village Manager and Mayor to execute the membership agreement with the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission on behalf of the North Jersey Wastewater Cooperative Pricing System
17-39 Title 59 Approval – Maintenance of Irrigation Systems/Water Fountains – Approves the plans and specifications for Maintenance of Irrigation Systems/Water Fountains for Contract Years 2017 and 2018, prepared by the Parks and Recreation Department, pursuant to Title 59
17-40 Award Contract – Maintenance of Irrigation Systems/Water Fountains – Awards this contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Tanz, Inc., 3 River Edge Road, River Edge, NJ
17-41 Award Contract under Cooperative Purchasing Program – Truck Chassis for Sludge Hauling Tanker Truck (NTE $153,895.85) – Awards a contract under Middlesex Regional Educational Services Commission to Gabrielli Truck Sales, 2300 Route 130 North, Dayton, NJ
17-42 Award Contract under Cooperative Purchasing Program – Vacuum Tank Unit for Sludge Hauling Tanker Truck (NTE $60,890) – Awards a contract under Middlesex Regional Educational Services Commission to Vacuum Sales, Inc., 51 Stone Road, Lindenwold, NJ
17-43 Award Contract under Cooperative Purchasing Program – Pumps for Ridgewood Lawns Sewer Pump Station (NTE $48,862.30) – Awards a contract under the North Jersey Wastewater Cooperative Pricing System administered by the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission to Pumping Services, Inc., 201 Lincoln Boulevard, Middlesex, NJ
17-44 Award Professional Services Contract – Surveys of Intersections for Upgrade of Traffic Signals (NTE $28,700) – Awards a Professional Services contract to Daniel M. Dunn of Dunn Surveying and Mapping, P.S., 40 East Prospect Street, Waldwick, NJ for intersection area surveys for upgrade of traffic signals. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed with the Village Clerk’s Office.
17-45 Award Professional Services Contract – 2017 Land Surveying Services Retainer for Preparation of Tax Assessment Map (NTE $1,700) – Awards a Professional Services contract to Daniel M. Dunn, of Dunn Surveying and Mapping, P.A., 40 East Prospect Street, Waldwick, NJ
17-46 Authorize Designation of Acting Municipal Court Administrator ($35/hour) –Designates Kimberly McWilliams, CMCA as the Acting Municipal Court Administrator, on a provisions basis to undertake the duties of the absent Municipal Court Administrator or Deputy Municipal Court Administrator during scheduled or unscheduled leaves. This is required under the new Criminal Justice Reform legislation.
17-47 Authorize Girl Scout Troop 1136 and Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission Project – Shade Tree Nursery – Authorizes Girl Scout Troop 1136 and the Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission to remove the accumulated debris, trash, and garbage and establish a Shade Tree Nursery at 203 East Glen Avenue. This project has been reviewed by the Village Engineer and the Director of Parks and Recreation who have helped to address various safety issues.
17-48 Increase 2017 Deferred School Taxes – Increases deferred school taxes from $45,630,455.58 to $46,515,256.20, an increase of $884,800.62 from 12/31/15 to 12/31/16
17-49 Approve Budget Reserve Transfers – Resolution which transfers money in the 2016 budget from departments which have excess funds to those departments which do not have adequate funds
17-50 Authorize Application for Sustainable Jersey PSE&G Grant – Authorizes an application for a Sustainable Jersey PSE&G Grant for a professional to conduct a tree survey in the Village
17-51 Authorize Execution of Grant Agreement – Community Development Block Grant – Handicapped Accessible Ramp at Gate House of Irene Habernickel Family Park – Authorizes the Acting Village Manager to sign the grant agreement and the Village Chief Financial Officer to sign all County vouchers
17-52 Award Professional Services Contract – Noise Assessment – Schedler Park Property (NTE $6,100) – Awards a Professional Services Contract to Sharon Paul Carpenter of Paul Carpenter Associates, Inc., 7 Columbia Turnpike, Suite 101, Florham Park, NJ
17-53 Award Professional Services Contract – Review of Village Hall HVAC System Operation (NTE $19,385) – Awards a Professional Services Contract to LAN Associates, 445 Godwin Avenue, Midland Park, NJ. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed with the Village Clerk’s Office.
19. Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes per person)
20. Resolution to go into Closed Session
21. Closed Session
Contract Negotiations – Potential Purchase of Property
Personnel – Village Manager’s Office; Village Manager Search
Legal – HealthBarn
22. Adjournment
All Village Council meetings broadcast LIVE – Tune in on Optimum Channel 77 or Verizon channel 34! Public Meeting – Wednesday, February 8 @ 8pm.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood has joined a growing chorus of North Jersey towns opposing the Pilgrim Pipeline.It passed a resolution, 4-0, with Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh recusing herself.
The Village now joins over 28 towns along the proposed Bergen County route to oppose the controversial Pilgrim Pipeline .
Pilgrim Pipeline LLC has proposed a brand new oil pipeline across northern New Jersey that would connect Albany, NY and Linden NJ.
The Sierra club has harped on safety issues in claiming the , “This bidirectional pipeline would carry corrosive, volatile Bakken crude oil through our communities.”
From the The Sierra club website , “Pipeline construction would have deleterious effects on both the open spaces and urbanized communities through which it would pass. In the Highlands and other sensitive areas, we would see wetlands destroyed, drinking water and critical habitats threatened, endangered species leveled to the ground, and impacts to waterways from more erosion due to construction. The pipeline would pass through environmental justice communities that have already seen too much air and water pollution as a result of the fossil fuel industry.”
The go on to say ,”The pipeline will carry North Dakotan Bakken shale oil. Produced through fracking, it is one of the most explosive types of oil in the world. In February the *Wall Street Journal* compared oil from 86 locations around the world and found Bakken crude oil to be the most explosive. Bringing this fuel into our state endangers our families, property, and environment.”
Sounds like a lot of anti-growth , anti-fossil fuels mumbo jumbo that the left uses in this country to stall progress.
The reality is there are zero recorded instances of crude oil exploding while being transported via pipeline in the United States. The differing levels of volatility inherent to different types of crude are rendered moot during pipeline transportation, as there is no air pressure or jostling that occurs inside a pipeline – the necessary factors for an explosion to take place. Bakken oil is already being transported between Albany and Linden by river barge and train; Pilgrim would transport this same oil by pipeline, the safest mode of transportation for these energy products.
The Pipeline Pilgrim is proposing will have an overwhelming majority of the projected pipeline route run along existing rights of way. In New York, as it heads south from Albany, the pipeline would run along the New York State Thruway within the existing highway easement. Landowners on either side of the Thruway may receive survey letters per NY state regulations requiring land adjacent to the proposed route to be reviewed for a variety of reasons, including environmental, archeological, etc. – a standard requirement for permit applications. The same is true of New Jersey, where the vast majority of the route would run along existing utility rights of way, and surveys must be conducted per New Jersey state regulations that mandate a standard land review requirement for permits. Depending on local geography, the range of review in both states is between 50 to 300 feet to either side of the centerline, which is why property owners receive survey requests. The footprint of the pipeline itself is only about 5 and ½ feet.
As of 2013 nearly half a million carloads of crude oil were transported by rail in the United States. In New Jersey alone, there are approximately 2,400 miles of rail freight lines. In recent years there has much fear about transporting oil through populated areas ,like Ridgewood by rail .
Moving oil and gas by pipeline was 4.5 times safer than moving the same volume the same distance by rail in the decade ended in 2013 in Canada, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute public policy think-tank.The study concluded pipelines are likely to experience 0.049 occurrences per thousand barrels of oil equivalent transported and rail will experience about 0.227 occurrences per thousand boe transported.
In The Wall Street Journal piece ,”How to Transport Oil More Safely”, “Pipelines are typically the cheapest, and in some cases quickest, way to move crude in the U.S., and they spill less often than other transport methods. In 2014, pipelines delivered 3.4 billion barrels of crude oil to U.S. refineries, according to Energy Information Administration data. The Association of Oil Pipe Lines says it has a 99.999% safe-delivery rate on these shipments. “On an apples-to-apples basis, pipelines have less accidents, cause less environmental damage and cause less harm to human health than do railcars moving comparable masses of oil and gas,”
In the New TYork Times article ,”Accidents Surge as Oil Industry Takes the Train” Today about two-thirds of the production in North Dakota’s Bakken shale oil field rides on rails because of a shortage of pipelines. And more than 10 percent of the nation’s total oil production is shipped by rail. Since March there have been no fewer than 10 large crude spills in the United States and Canada because of rail accidents. The number of gallons spilled in the United States last year, federal records show, far outpaced the total amount spilled by railroads from 1975 to 2012.
While nothing is fool proof , it would be wise to do some honest hard work on the issue instead of passing silly resolutions based on one-sided politically motivated sources of information .
Ridgewood NJ , a day after alleged terror suspect 28-year-old Ahmad Khan Rahami was captured in Linden New Jersey ,the Bergen Record runs the headline ,”Motive a Mystery” .
We didn’t know if we should laugh or cry . Within minutes of the recent NYC terror attack the usual list of excuses was rolled out ; work place violence, beware of Islamophobia , talk radio, gun control ,NRA , climate change ,Donald Trump and a new one anti gay gays .
po·lit·i·cal cor·rect·ness noun
the avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.
While it has already been well documented that the New York bombing Suspect Ahmad Rahami ‘may have been radicalised after visiting Afghanistan’. Even the New York Times even reported ,”Ahmad Khan Rahami’s father told Police in 2014 his son was a terrorist,”
The Washington Post reported that ,”After Rahami was captured, investigators found blood-spattered papers on him that included a reference to Anwar al-Awlaki, according to a federal law enforcement official who asked not to be identified discussing the ongoing investigation.
Awlaki, an American-born cleric who was a top leader for al-Qaeda in Yemen, was killed in a 2011 drone strike, but his rhetoric continue to resonate online. His teachings have been implicated in numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, and authorities say the gunman in Orlando earlier this year and one of the attackers in San Bernardino, Calif., last year had viewed Awlaki’s lectures.”
Maybe its time to call Captain Obvious ; Radical Islam . Many in the mainstream media continue to denie the obvious links that certain elements of the Muslim Religion have with Islamic Fundamentalism .
According to Hillel Gray, who Teaches at Miami Univ, Comparative Religion department, “Islam began in the 7th century, spread rapidly, and — already during medieval and early modern periods — splintered into various forms & communities. However, scholars consider fundamentalist Islam to have emerged in the modern era, especially in (post-)colonial contexts. Radical Islam can claim to have roots in earlier traditions, but it is viewed as a modern phenomenon (along with other religious fundamentalisms).”
The media and many to the left object to saying Muslim terrorist , or Islamic terrorist because for them it implies all Muslims are terrorist . Which begs the question , did Irish Republican Army (IRA) imply all Irish are terrorist?
The Irish Republican Army (IRA), also called Provisional Irish Republican Army, a republicanparamilitary organization seeking the establishment of a republic, the end of British rule in Northern Ireland, and the reunification of Ireland.
The reality is that calling someone a Muslim Terrorist ,no more implies all Muslims are terrorist than calling someone an IRA member say’s all Irish are terrorist.
Folks its time to face fact ; it is what it is . A Muslim who is radicalised is a Muslim Terrorist!
Ahmad Khan Rahami lying wounded on a Linden, NJ sidewalk after he wounded two police officers and was shot by police himself late Monday morning.
BREAKING : Manhattan bombing suspect Ahmad Rahami is in police custody after shooting a police officer in Linden, NJ, according to WNBC.
September 19,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A key suspect in the NYC bombing that injured 29 people has been arrested after a dramatic manhunt by US law enforcement agencies,.
Police named 28-year-old Ahmad Khan Rahami as a prime suspect in an explosion in Manhattan over the weekend.
Earlier today, The FBI issued a wanted poster seeking information and warning that Rahami should be considered “armed and dangerous”.
The arrest came around 11am local time after a standoff with police, according to media reports. At least one officer is believed to have been injured in the arrest.
Ridgewoood NJ, NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations faces the prospect of a systemwide shutdown should the membership of its rail union opt to participate in a work stoppage. This would result in the complete suspension of NJ TRANSIT rail service, affecting more than 160,000 customers who ride the system on a typical weekday. In the event of such a stoppage,
NJ TRANSIT has developed a contingency plan that would accommodate up to about 38 percent, or about 40,000 seats, of the existing New York-bound customer base.
Regional Park-Ride Service
Park-ride service will operate on a first come, first served basis from five key regional park-ride lots, weekdays only, during four-hour AM inbound (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.) and four-hour PM outbound (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) peak periods.
MetLife Stadium to Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York
PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel to New York City (Academy Bus)
Hamilton Rail Station to Newark Penn Station for PATH service
Metropark Rail Station to Harrison PATH Station
Ramsey/Route 17 Rail Station to Lincoln Harbor Ferry, Weehawken
No midday, evening, weekend or reverse commute service will operate on these park-ride routes.
Park-ride locations were selected based on their size/parking capacity, access to regional highways, and geographical distribution. Access to area PATH stations and ferry service also was analyzed to minimize congestion at Hudson River crossings.
Enhanced NJ TRANSIT New York Bus Service
NJ TRANSIT will enhance peak period service on 29 existing New York bus routes in close proximity to rail stations. The routes are:
Northeast Corridor: 108, 112, 115 and 129 bus routes
North Jersey Coast Line: 116 and 133/135 bus routes
Raritan Valley Line: 113 and 114X bus routes
Morris & Essex Lines: 107X and 114X bus routes
Montclair-Boonton Lines: 191X and 324 bus routes
Main/Bergen County Lines: 145, 160L, 160T, 160P, 163P, 164SX, 190P/D, 190R, 190X and 192X bus routes
Pascack Valley Line: 151, 162, 163L, 165P, 165R and 165T bus routes
In addition, to accommodate Atlantic City Rail Line customers, NJ TRANSIT will enhance service on the 554 bus route, which operates between Atlantic City and Lindenwold. At Lindenwold, customers can connect with PATCO service to Philadelphia. PATCO will cross honor Atlantic City Rail Line tickets and passes to/from Philadelphia (8th & Market St. Station).
To lessen traffic congestion and delays at the Lincoln Tunnel and to take advantage of the proximity to connecting PATH and ferry service, NJ TRANSIT will make the following service adjustments in the event of a rail stoppage:
The 156R, 158 and 159R bus routes serving the River Road corridor will terminate at the Port Imperial Ferry Terminal in Weehawken on weekdays, enabling cross honoring with connecting NY Waterway ferry service. Weekend service will operate on its regular route to/from New York.
The 126 bus route in Hoboken will operate on a reverse routing on weekday mornings, beginning at Willow Avenue and 19th Street and operating south to Hoboken Terminal for cross honoring with PATH and ferry service. In the evening, the 126 bus route will operate from Hoboken Terminal back to Willow Avenue and 19th Street. Weekend service will operate on its regular route to/from New York.
Ticketing
All existing valid rail tickets and passes with an origin or destination of New York will be accepted for travel on all park-ride service, and will be cross-honored on NJ TRANSIT buses and light rail lines, private bus carriers, PATH, NY Waterway and Seastreak.
Customers who do not already have a ticket or pass may purchase round-trip tickets to/from New York during morning hours on site from the park-ride locations. Round-trip tickets for regional park-ride service also will be available via MyTix, a mobile ticketing feature on NJ TRANSIT’s mobile app.
Fares from regional park-rides are based on the existing fares from those locations. Adult, senior/disabled, and child fares will be available as follows:
ORIGIN
DESTINATION
ADULT
ROUND TRIP FARE
SENIOR/DISABLED
ROUND TRIP FARE
CHILD
ROUND TRIP FARE
MetLife Stadium
Port Authority
Bus Terminal
$11.00
$4.90
$4.90
Ramsey/
Route 17
Lincoln Harbor
Ferry Terminal
$24.50
$11.40
$11.40
Metropark
Harrison
PATH Station
$21.50
$9.80
$9.80
Hamilton
Newark Penn Station
for PATH connection
$32.50
$14.70
$14.70
PNC Bank Arts Center
New York
$36.00
$18.00
$18.00
Cross-Honoring
NJ TRANSIT rail tickets and passes will be cross-honored on all NJ TRANSIT bus and light rail lines as well as on private bus carriers and PATH trains. Passes also will be cross-honored on all NY Waterway service, including Weehawken, Hoboken and North Hoboken, as well as on Seastreak service into Manhattan and PATCO service at Lindenwold Station to/from Philadelphia (8th & Market St. Station).
“The fact is Ridgewood was designated by NJT as a major transit hub several years ago and to a large extent that is why so many residents who work on Wall St have chosen to live here. Ridgewood has the reputation as the town that “has it all” great schools, charming neighborhoods, a lively downtown……and an easy commute to the city. When one gets past all the current rhetoric the three amigos are simply executing a plan and a vision for Ridgewood that was put in place long before they arrived on the scene.” Ed S
Q. What is a designated Transit Village?
A. A designated Transit Village is a municipality that has been recommended for designation by the interagency Transit Village Task Force. These municipalities have demonstrated a commitment to revitalizing and redeveloping the area around their transit facilities into compact, mixed-use neighborhoods with a strong residential component.
A municipality can be designated a Transit Village only after much of the planning and background work has already been done on the municipal level. It may only be designated a Transit Village after the Transit Village Criteria have been met.
Q. How many designated Transit Villages are there?
A. There are currently 30 designated Transit Villages. They are Pleasantville (1999), Morristown (1999), Rutherford (1999), South Amboy (1999), South Orange (1999), Riverside (2001), Rahway (2002), Metuchen (2003), Belmar (2003), Bloomfield (2003), Bound Brook (2003), Collingswood (2003), Cranford (2003), Matawan (2003), New Brunswick (2005), Journal Square/Jersey City (2005), Netcong (2005), Elizabeth/Midtown (2007), Burlington City (2007), City of Orange Township (2009), Montclair (2010), Somerville (2010), Linden (2010), West Windsor (2012), East Orange (2012), Dunellen (2012), Summit (2013), Plainfield (2014), Borough of Park Ridge (2015) and Irvington Township (2015).
Ridgewood NJ, With the latest winter storm moving toward the region, NJ TRANSIT operations, customer service and police personnel are taking steps to minimize delays, and ensure service reliability and safety due to the approaching winter storm. All customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com before traveling for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip.
Customers who would like to contact NJ TRANSIT can click on “Contact Us” on the homepage.
Customers are strongly urged to exercise extreme caution traveling in and around all transit facilities and when boarding or alighting buses and trains due to the expected icy conditions.
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect on January 23 and January 24:
To give customers additional travel options during the expected winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full system-wide cross-honoring beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, January 23, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail or bus—including private bus carriers.
For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge. Customers using their tickets or passes to travel to a destination other than the destination printed on their original ticket will be subject to the appropriate additional fare if applicable.
NJ TRANSIT will also continue to closely monitor the crowds at New York Penn Station, Hoboken Terminal and the Port Authority Bus Terminal and make adjustments to service as necessary.
The corporation is preparing to minimize disruptions and delays to the extent possible. Rail and light rail crews and equipment are on standby to quickly respond to downed trees, power outages or other issues that may arise. In addition, NJ TRANSIT will be positioning locomotives at strategic locations across the rail system to rapidly respond in the event of a disabled train.
Customers are advised of the following:
Systemwide: NJ TRANSIT plans to operate a regular weekend schedule on Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24. Depending on the impact of the storm, it may be necessary for NJ TRANSIT to modify service as conditions change.
Bus Service: While every effort will be made to continue operating bus service throughout the state, customers may experience delays or detours on their routes in the event of extreme winter weather conditions. Customers are advised to plan accordingly and anticipate disruptions to bus service.
Access Link Service: This service will be suspended for Saturday, January 23, and will have a delayed start time of noon on Sunday, January 24.
Travel Advice:
For the latest travel information, visit njtransit.com or access our Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT prior to starting your trip. In the event of delays or service adjustments, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone, PDA or pager. (If you are not yet a My Transit subscriber, we encourage you to sign up at www.njtransit.com/mytransit) Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555 or from broadcast traffic reports.
Listen closely to public address announcements at stations for late-breaking service information.
Build additional travel time into your trip to a station, terminal or bus stop.
Stairs, flooring and platforms can be slippery, so please use caution when walking along wet surfaces or any outdoor surface exposed to the weather. Use extra care when boarding or exiting buses and trains.
Report slippery or unsafe conditions to bus operators, train crews or NJ TRANSIT staff.
If you park, ensure your car is stocked with a snow brush and ice scraper so you can clear your car upon returning to the lot.
NJ TRANSIT is prepared to handle the impending winter weather:
Snow plows and salt spreaders are ready for service and snow-removal contracts are in place with outside vendors.
NJ TRANSIT is well-stocked with 20,000 bags of snow-melting supplies, and hundreds of shovels and snow blowers.
NJ TRANSIT has performed maintenance and testing on its two rail-mounted jet snow blowers in the event they are needed to help clear train tracks of snow and ice, particularly in rail yards.
More than 750 rail switches, switch heaters and overhead wires have already been inspected as part of NJ TRANSIT’s preventative maintenance program.
Onboard heating systems, thermostats, weather stripping and electronic components have been inspected on NJ TRANSIT railcars, light rail cars and locomotives.
Bus maintenance personnel have inspected and performed necessary maintenance on a fleet of nearly 2,200 buses – from the heating and airbrake systems, to the engine fluids, tires, windshield wipers and doors.
N.J. firefighters suing fire truck, siren makers over ‘irreversible’ hearing loss
By Craig McCarthy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on December 08, 2015 at 8:47 AM, updated December 08, 2015 at 5:00 PM
Bayonne Fire Department fire truck leaves the firehouse on Avenue C by City Hall.Jersey Journal file photo
More than two dozen New Jersey firefighters are suing five fire truck manufacturers and a siren maker alleging the noise from the emergency vehicles’ sirens have lead to an “irreversible” loss of hearing.
The lawsuit was removed from state Superior Court and filed in federal court in Newark on Dec. 4 on behalf of 34 current or former firefighters in Elizabeth, Linden, Bayonne, Union, Ridgewood, Kearny, Cranford and West New York. The suit names American LaFrance LLC, Kovatch Mobile Equipments Corp., Mack Trucks Inc., Pierce Manufacturing Inc. and Seagrave Fire Apparatus LLC, as well as the siren maker Federal Signal Corp.
The lawsuit alleges the firefighters, who were each employed by the departments for decades, “have suffered irreversible hearing loss and a permanent decrease of their hearing” making them unable “to enjoy life’s pleasures.”
SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015, 1:27 PM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
For the past 15 years, the Ridgewood Farmers’ Market has returned to the village every Sunday to sell its fresh, locally grown produce to northern New Jersey customers, who happily peruse the various stands to see which products are available each week.
But when the day ends and the unsold fresh fruits and vegetables are left over, where do they end up?
A few years ago, a group of volunteers from Ridgewood’s First Presbyterian Church found an answer for that question.
Mary Shaw, a church member who coordinates the volunteers, got the idea as she passed the Farmers’ Market on the west side of the train station and wondered if the vendors would donate the leftover food.
“I just had this idea one Sunday a few years ago to ask the farmers to consider giving their leftover produce to food pantries,” Shaw said. “They were very willing and happy to do it. These farmers are incredibly generous individuals to share their goods in this way.”
Additionally, another participant in the Farmers’ Market, Baker’s Bounty, a bakery based in Linden, has been donating large bags of various fresh baked breads to the volunteers.
A group of approximately eight volunteers are gathered from a pool of 35 and meet at the Ridgewood train station each Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
A Superior Court Judge today approved a $225 million settlement between the State and ExxonMobil to resolve liability for damage to the environment and injury to natural resources caused by contamination from the corporation’s refinery operations in Bayonne and Linden, as well as other facilities and service stations in New Jersey, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin announced.
Politicker Staff, Politickernj Read more
EAST ROCKAWAY, N.Y.—For Frances Healy, a 90-year-old widow known as “Muzzy,” home is just a tease.
Muzzy lives so close to her gutted, molded home—an unhealed victim of a hurricane that hit nearly two-and-half years ago—that she can see it.
But she can’t live in it.
From her vantage point through a window in the trailer here in East Rockaway on Long Island in New York, she can see a home that, from the outside, looks the same before it met Hurricane Sandy.
Ever feel like the only difference between the New York Times and Washington Post is the name? We do.
Try the Morning Bell and get the day’s most important news and commentary from a team committed to the truth in formats that respect your time…and your intelligence.
Submit
It’s the same home that Muzzy and her late husband, Jimmy, built in 1947, transforming it from a “dump” to “heaven on Earth.”
But from the window of the trailer where she now lives, or from anywhere, what she can’t see is a way back into the home.
“It’s heartbreaking because there’s so many memories there,” said Muzzy, whose quiet, cracking voice belies a feistiness that showed itself when she playfully heckled a Daily Signal filmmaker for being too slow to get his equipment ready.
“We raised 10 children in this house,” Muzzy said. “We had so many memories in this house.”
This wasn’t supposed to be so hard—recovery.
“I know what I’m getting into living on the water,” says @krainsbo.
People who live on the water know the risks and insure themselves against them.
“I know what I’m getting into living on the water,” says Kathleen Besedin, whose dream home in Baldwin Harbour, N.Y., was severely damaged in Hurricane Sandy.
“I am not a stupid person. I know it can flood and that’s why I did everything right.”
When Hurricane Sandy barreled toward the East Coast in the fall of 2012, many, like Muzzy, who had to be dragged away by her family, didn’t think they’d even have to leave their homes.
No one could have expected how devastating Hurricane Sandy turned out to be: 117 deaths, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than $60 billion in damage, second only to Hurricane Katrina.
And no one could have guessed how the mechanisms set up to protect homeowners, and to refurbish them against future storms, would fail.
Responding to accusations that damage assessment reports were fraudulently changed to minimize claims, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed to review every flood insurance claim filed by homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Those actions came in the wake of law enforcement inquiries and reports by the New York Times and CBS News program “60 Minutes” on widespread fraud by engineering companies supervised by FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.
During a visit last month to Long Island, among the areas hardest hit by the storm, homeowners also spoke of problems related to a New York’s grant recovery program set up to fill the funding gaps left by their flood insurance and other forms of aid.
Launched in April 2013, New York Rising uses $4.4 billion in federal funding allocated to the state to help people rebuild their homes.
New York Rising is similar to other grant programs in New York city and New Jersey.
The programs were set up carefully.
After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, widespread corruption and fraudulent claims marred the recovery.
To avoid similar problems in New York, the state created a program with a complicated application process.
Though New York Rising has distributed more than $600 million for home repairs so far, some homeowners complain the program has moved too slowly, plagued by heavy-handed bureaucracy, excessive paperwork and constantly changing policies.
“Thank God for the grant program,” said Mary Shaw, a resident of Long Beach, N.Y., who decided to knock her home down and is waiting on money from New York Rising to rebuild.
“But it is a waiting game. It’s been longer than we ever expected to wait for help. You don’t want to complain. It’s a grant program. I just wish it were run better.”
Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., represents a district in eastern Long Island. He works with New York Rising to make sure the program is helping people come home.
“It would be foolish not to revisit lessons learned to get it right the next time,” says @RepLeeZeldin.
“I think expectations from the get go—some people just assumed, as soon as Congress passed money, they would see a check, they would barely have to put in paperwork,” Zeldin told The Daily Signal.
“As far as efficiency goes, some of the policies … unnecessarily lingered too long. If another storm, God forbid, happened, it would be reckless, it would be foolish, not to revisit those lessons learned to get it right the next time.”
New York Rising officials say the program is working as well as could be expected.
They say they’re beholden to stringent guidelines required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency that governs the distribution of grant money.
And they say they’ve made changes to the program in order to meet evolving homeowner needs.
For example, New York Rising recently adjusted its award payment formula for some people who are reconstructing their homes.
Instead of paying 50 percent of repairs upfront, and the other half upon completion of repairs, New York Rising will pay 50 percent at the outset, 25 percent after a “substantial” amount of work has been finished and the final 25 percent upon completion.
“I don’t want to sound like a bureaucrat, but I do think that there’s a responsibility here and a management of expectations,” said Barbara Brancaccio, a New York Rising spokeswoman, in an interview with The Daily Signal.
“It’s the responsible monitoring of taxpayer dollars. You want to protect the funds. When you make changes like this, it’s to get more money to the homeowner, not to make it more difficult. It’s very hard when you’re in the situation to see the big picture. We work very hard to get as much money as absolutely possible into the hands of the people who need it.”
A walk through a Lindenhurst neighborhood shows how recovery does not look the same for everybody.
Ellen Huggins, the secretary of Adopt a House, a nonprofit founded to help rebuild Long Island communities after Hurricane Sandy, is leading the tour.
Huggins was fortunate enough to rebuild her home.
But visible through her front window is a grassy patch of land where a home once stood.
As part of New York Rising, residents have the option to participate in a buyout program, allowing the state to purchase the damaged property to raze the home and return the area to nature.
The state has bought about 1,200 properties as of mid-March.
Another home near Huggins’, a couple streets away, has seen no work. It looks, as if frozen in time, the same as it did after the storm—like a skeleton.
The walls of the back of the home have been blown off, to where you can see inside.
A swivel chair, probably an item that belonged to a former office space, and a trash basket, lay strewn in the melting snow.
“We want the neighborhood back,” says Ellen Huggins of @AdoptAHouse.
“My neighbors are gone,” Huggins said. “There are people who just left. There are people who are still struggling. And we want them to come back. We want the neighborhood back. I want my neighbors back. We’d like to see [New York Rising] be successful. We’d like to see the program achieve the goals it is setting out to achieve. We’d like it to assist people: to elevate, to reconstruct, to rebuild, to be safer —so that the neighborhood can continue to thrive.”
Muzzy won’t leave her neighborhood. It’s where she goes to church. It’s where her husband, Jimmy, hand-made the furniture that came to decorate her home, and then, be destroyed—erasing one of their enduring links.
“She’s lived in this town since she was 2. It’s where she wants to die,” says Kate Hughes, Muzzy’s daughter.
For Muzzy, home, so close but so far, is where the heartache is.
Asked where she wants to live, she points through the trailer window, “In that house.”
INGLE: What’s gone wrong with Chris Christie?
Bob Ingle 6:31 p.m. EST March 6, 2015
TRENTON — Would the real Chris Christie please stand up? New Jerseyans who voted for a straight-shooting reformer and untypical politician are wondering if the guy they once loved was replaced by an imposter pod, like in the “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” movie.
One of the hotter topics around Trenton is a proposed Christie administration pollution settlement disclosed by The New York Times. Administrations going back to Jim McGreevey’s sought $8.9 billion from ExxonMobil. The Times reported the proposed settlement is a mere fraction of that, $250 million. It actually was only $225 million. A judge already has ruled the giant oil company is liable for pollution from refineries it once owned in Linden and Bayonne.
A former state Department of Environmental Protection commissioner, Brad Campbell, wrote in The Times that Christie’s chief counsel, Christopher Porrino, allegedly intervened to get a better deal for ExxonMobil, which was a big donor to the Republican Governors Association when Christie chaired it.
Speculation under the Gold Dome is Christie sold out the people of New Jersey for the equivalent of three cents on the dollar to balance his budget.
NJ TRANSIT ANNOUNCES FULL, SYSTEMWIDE CROSS-HONORING IN ADVANCE OF MAJOR WINTER STORM
Customers advised to check njtransit.com before traveling
NEWARK, NJ — As this season’s first major winter storm moves toward the region, NJ TRANSIT operations, customer service and police personnel are taking steps to minimize delays, and ensure service reliability and safety due to the approaching winter storm. All customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com before traveling for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip.
NJ TRANSIT plans to operate a regular weekday schedule on Monday, January 26 through Wednesday, January 28, however due to the predicted severity of the storm, there is the potential for significant shutdowns of NJ TRANSIT’s rail, bus, light rail and Access Link service. Customers are advised to regularly check njtransit.com for the latest service information.
Additionally, Customers are strongly urged to exercise extreme caution traveling in and around all transit facilities and when boarding or alighting buses and trains due to the expected icy conditions.
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect from Monday, January 26 through and including Wednesday, January 28: To give customers additional travel options during the expected winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring from Monday, January 26 through and including Wednesday, January 28, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail or bus—including private bus carriers.
For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge. Customers using their tickets or passes to travel to a destination other than the destination printed on their original ticket will be subject to the appropriate additional fare if applicable.
NJ TRANSIT will also continue to closely monitor the crowds at New York Penn Station, Hoboken Terminal and the Port Authority Bus Terminal and make adjustments to service as necessary.
The corporation is preparing to minimize disruptions and delays to the extent possible. Rail and light rail crews and equipment are on standby to quickly respond to downed trees, power outages or other issues that may arise. In addition, NJ TRANSIT will be positioning locomotives at strategic locations across the rail system to rapidly respond in the event of a disabled train.
Customers are advised of the following:
Systemwide: NJ TRANSIT plans to operate a regular weekday schedule on Monday, January 26 through Wednesday, January 28, however due to the predicted severity of this storm, there is the potential for significant shutdowns of NJ TRANSIT’s rail, bus, light rail and Access Link service. Again, customers are advised to regularly check njtransit.com for the latest service information.
Travel Advice:
For the latest travel information, visit njtransit.com or access our Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT prior to starting your trip. In the event of delays or service adjustments, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone, PDA or pager. (If you are not yet a My Transit subscriber, we encourage you to sign up at www.njtransit.com/mytransit) Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555 or from broadcast traffic reports.
Listen closely to public address announcements at stations for late-breaking service information.
Build additional travel time into your trip to a station, terminal or bus stop.
Stairs, flooring and platforms can be slippery, so please use caution when walking along wet surfaces or any outdoor surface exposed to the weather. Use extra care when boarding or exiting buses and trains.
Report slippery or unsafe conditions to bus operators, train crews or
NJ TRANSIT staff.
If you park, ensure your car is stocked with a snow brush and ice scraper so you can clear your car upon returning to the lot.
NJ TRANSIT is prepared to handle the impending winter weather:
Snow plows and salt spreaders are ready for service and snow-removal contracts are in place with outside vendors.
NJ TRANSIT is well-stocked with 16,000 bags of snow-melting supplies, and hundreds of shovels and snow blowers.
NJ TRANSIT has performed maintenance and testing on its two rail-mounted jet snow blowers in the event they are needed to help clear train tracks of snow and ice, particularly in rail yards.
More than 750 rail switches, switch heaters and overhead wires have already been inspected as part of NJ TRANSIT’s preventative maintenance program.
Onboard heating systems, thermostats, weather stripping and electronic components have been inspected on NJ TRANSIT railcars, light rail cars and locomotives.
Bus maintenance personnel have inspected and performed necessary maintenance on a fleet of nearly 2,200 buses – from the heating and airbrake systems, to the engine fluids, tires, windshield wipers and doors.
More expected to flee New Jersey as baby boomers age
For Raymond Francisco, landing a job at the General Motors auto plant in Linden at 25 years old was like winning the lottery.
The New Brunswick native was a welder by trade, and enjoyed working hard for the good money he made at the plant. But when GM announced in 2002 it would close the factory — about six years after he started — Francisco decided he had to go where the jobs were.
That meant packing up his wife, two small children and moving to Lordstown, Ohio, where GM offered him another job at an assembly plant.
People are leaving New Jersey at a higher rate than 47 other states, just behind New York, which is No. 1, and Illinois, according to James Hughes, a demographer and dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. (Kachmar/Asbury Park Press)
