Tag: commuters

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George Washington Bridge Closing Lower Level to Accommodate Road Work All Next Week

GWB

TRAVEL ADVISORY – GWB LOWER-LEVEL LANES TO CLOSE NEXT WEEK, IN ALTERNATING DIRECTIONS, TO ACCOMMODATE ONGOING WORKDate: Oct 23, 2015

The Port Authority announced today that the George Washington Bridge’s lower-level lanes will close in alternating directions during nighttime hours next week to accommodate ongoing construction work.

Key Question will the New Press blame it all on Christie ?

Next week’s lower-level closures are currently scheduled as follows:

On Monday night, October 26, the lower level eastbound lanes to New York will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

On Tuesday night, October 27, the lower level westbound lanes to New Jersey will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

On Wednesday night, October 28, the lower level westbound lanes to New Jersey will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

On Thursday night, October 29, the lower level westbound lanes to New Jersey will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

On Friday night, October 30, the lower level westbound lanes to New Jersey  will close from 11  p.m. to 8 a.m.

Similar weeknight closures, alternating between the lower-level eastbound and westbound lanes, will continue through mid-November. The Port Authority will provide weekly advisories about the closures.

The closures will allow for the removal of temporary construction platforms used for the upper-level deck installation.  The Port Authority will alert the public through its own and its regional partners’ highway variable message signs, with messages directing drivers to use the upper level in the affected direction.

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The Money Pit : Senate President Stephen Sweeney call for Replacement of Port Authority Bus Terminal

NJT ticket machine

N.J. lawmakers call for replacement of Port Authority Bus Terminal

Two North Jersey Democratic leaders joined state Senate President Stephen Sweeney at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan on Tuesday to call for the building’s immediate replacement. Christopher Maag, The Record Read more

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Reader says sell more non-resident commuters parking passes to subsidize property taxes

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The Village used to have 120 non-resident commuter permits, but doubled non-resident permit rates because there was not enough space for these commuters. Currently there are very few non-resident commuters parking in the train station area. The Village plans to reduce the non-resident commuter rate to $875/year to increase that demand stream again.

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Ridgewood Parking : an Idea

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September 26th 2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Exxon station on Godwin Ave. is closing.

Station sold to Citizen Bank. Interesting, the station was closed last year to replace the gas tanks. Just what we need, another bank. But this one will have 3 drive-thru teller windows.

Sign at the gas station says effective October 1st., the parking lot is to be closed.
So, that affects 45 parking spots commuters use for the train.

If the Ken Smith dealership becomes housing, that eliminated 80 to 100 spots for Ridgewood workers w/ special passes.

Hudson Street becomes a parking deck. During the 3 years constructions, that eliminated 120 spots temporarily. Toss in Brogan Cadillac parking spots, if that becomes housing, we have have a total of non-usable parking of approx. 300 spots.

Here’s what we need to do.

All neighborhoods around the train station and even the Ridgewood Park & Ride, do not allow commuter parking on the streets except a few areas.Home owners complain they don’t want cars parked in front of their houses all day.

Time to stop complaining.

I live across from one of the town schools and the teachers park on each side of the street. Should we ban that because they’re on my street?

So, don’t you think by opening up streets for commuter parking, can make parking for those wanting to shop in town better?

Here’s what I’m proposing.

Those current spots near mass transit, are moved a block or 2 further away. ( Where they are not currently allowed)Then the current commuter spots become shoppers spots.

Think about it. Hmmmmmm

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Freeholder candidate John Mitchell visited Ridgewood Train Station this morning

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September 16,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Freeholder candidate John Mitchell visited Ridgewood Train Station this morning  after attending the GOP Candidates night in Hasbrouck Heights pushing a Tax Reduction and Strict Budgeting strategy .

It was a “Win-Win” at the Ridgewood train station this morning…

…It was a “win” that I was able to help a commuter understand the intricacies of the unfair school funding formula and how it impacts his ever rising property taxes. And it was also a “win” that I had a chance to meet hundreds of residents in this beautiful town.

John Mitchell , “There are 70 towns in Bergen County and it continues to amaze me how diverse we are but at the same time united in what we want for our children and grandchildren. A good education, the opportunity to work, lower property taxes and a safe environment are what I heard consistently during my recent travels”
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NJT Spells out Service Changes for the Papal Visit to both New York and Philadelphia

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September 15,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On Thursday, September 24 and Friday, September 25, NJ TRANSIT will have service in place to accommodate customers heading to New York, particularly during the evening hours and continuing through the end of the Papal event at Madison Square Garden. We are adding additional bus service on New York-bound routes and adjusting some of our rail service to provide more seats during hours when customers will need them the most. Service to Hoboken also is an option and allows convenient connections with PATH and NY Waterway services to and from New York.

NJ TRANSIT will offer limited special service on its Atlantic City Rail Line and River LINE for people attending the World Meeting of Families and Papal visit on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 2015. The service is limited in order to keep crowd numbers consistent with the maximum capacity that will be available.

During the weekend of September 26 and 27, 2015, NJ TRANSIT regular tickets will NOT be accepted and we will NOT be operating regular weekend service on either the Atlantic City Rail Line or the River LINE. Special tickets are available for people planning to ride the Atlantic City Rail Line and River LINE as the lines will operate on a limited schedule only on both days. Customers need to purchase their tickets in advance of this weekend. No one will be allowed to ride without a SPECIAL EVENT ticket and no tickets will be sold on Saturday, September 26 or Sunday, September 27. No other fares, including monthly passes, Family SuperSaver or cash, will be accepted on the Atlantic City Rail Line or River LINE.

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Here’s why N.J. commuters lost 2 weeks of their lives last year

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file photo by Boyd Loving

By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on August 26, 2015 at 8:00 AM, updated August 26, 2015 at 12:10 PM

Why are you almost always late for dinner or constantly missing your kids soccer games last year? Well, New Jersey residents wasted almost two work weeks in 2014 just sitting in traffic.

It’s not just your family and social life that suffered. Traffic in the New Jersey-New York region caused commuters to burn 35 more gallons of gas they wouldn’t have if traffic was flowing freely. And drivers paid $1,739 in fuel costs and wasted time for the privilege of staring at someone else’s brake lights in 2014.

The bad news was delivered in the 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard, released Wednesday by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and INRIX, a supplier of travel time data.

Commuters driving in the New Jersey-New York-Connecticut region have the fourth-worst commute out of the 15 largest urban areas for delays. But we spend more money than any other region in the amount of gas we burn to schlep to and from work, the report said.

Don’t feel too smug if you commute elsewhere in the state, because two other New Jersey regions also made the list for crummy commutes in the report.

https://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2015/08/heres_why_nj_commuters_lost_2_weeks_of_their_lives_last_year.html#incart_river

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Port Authority Bus Terminal New Gate Assignments Starts September 8th

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August 31,2015

the staff of the Riidgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) is undergoing gate changes in an effort to further improve access and service to all bus customers – those of NJ TRANSIT as well as the independent carriers. This reorganization builds upon the ongoing cooperative efforts of the Port Authority of NY & NJ, NJ TRANSIT and the independent carriers to improve operations, efficiency and the overall customer experience at the terminal.

Building upon our previous initiatives, such as the addition of WiFi service, expansion of MyTix, and the improved reliability of service and reduced wait times during the PM peak commuting hours, further operational improvements are necessary to address congestion in the terminal that often occurs due to multiple carriers sharing common areas of the platform queues.

To enhance operation and control within PABT, carriers will be consolidated into specific areas of the terminal, which will make it easier for customers to find their specific carrier, minimize traffic conflicts and improve flow to alleviate customer congestion on platforms. This will offer a more streamlined experience since most routes and personnel within a given area are from the same carrier.

The reorganization of gates at PABT will further improve on-time performance, resulting in shorter customer queues and wait times in the terminal. It will also offer greater operational flexibility and faster recovery time when delays and disruptions do occur. Please refer to the charts included here to find your new gate assignments.

NJ TRANSIT gate changes effective 9/8/15.

Bus Departures

For information on the Port Authority Bus Terminal and a terminal map, go to https://www.panynj.gov/bus-terminals/pabt-terminal-guide.html

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Pope’s Visit Will Test New York Area Transit

Vatican Pope Youths

For months, city and transportation officials have been planning how to handle the crush of visitors

By
ANDREW TANGEL
Aug. 28, 2015 8:21 p.m. ET

New Yorkers expect transit delays and traffic jams when the president visits or world leaders gather at the United Nations.

But in late September, the region’s transportation network could face an even bigger challenge as Pope Francis barnstorms the East Coast, with a visit to the Big Apple during weekday commutes.

For months, city and transportation officials have been planning how to handle the potential for tens or hundreds of thousands of visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis between the events on his itinerary.

While encouraging riders to take mass transit instead of driving into the city, transportation officials are also urging riders to plan ahead and expect packed trains, delays and added security.

“Patience will be required,” said Ronnie Hakim, executive director of NJ Transit, the operator of commuter trains, light rail and buses. “We think it will be crowded.”

While NJ Transit expects to run more buses into and out of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on Friday, Sept. 25, Amtrak’s two Hudson River rail tunnels lack the capacity to handle additional rush-hour commuter trains, she said.

By the time the pope arrives, Amtrak expects to have finished work to repair the aging tunnels’ electrical system, whose malfunctions caused several days of long delays for commuters last month.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/popes-visit-will-test-new-york-area-transit-1440807664

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Analysis: Hudson rail tunnel plan is popular, but no one wants the bill

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AUGUST 12, 2015, 11:51 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2015, 11:56 PM
BY CHRISTOPHER MAAG AND HERB JACKSON
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD

It’s the tunnel that everyone agrees is necessary and no one wants to pay for.

This week, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York became the latest person to step into the fray, saying a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River should be built by a non-profit development corporation established specifically to tap every available pot of federal, state and regional money.

“We’ll only get Gateway done by adding up several pieces of financing, with an eye toward getting the maximum amount possible from the federal government,” Schumer said Tuesday at a news conference, referring to the name Amtrak has given a nascent plan for a new two-track tunnel.

But pursuing that financing requires promises from Governor Christie, a Republican presidential candidate who canceled a previous tunnel project, and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, who does not even want to meet to discuss it.

And until they are on the same page, any chance of persuading a Republican-led Congress focused on spending cuts to get behind a project as big as Gateway is a heavy lift indeed.

Still, Christie, Cuomo, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and nearly every transportation expert from Boston to Washington, D.C., agree with Schumer that work should begin immediately to build a new train tunnel, which would supplement the existing, century-old one that is beginning to fail.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/analysis-hudson-rail-tunnel-plan-is-popular-but-no-one-wants-the-bill-1.1391222

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Amtrak contextualizes apology for July delays

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Testifying this morning in front of the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee, Steve Gardner of Amtrak cited outdated, deteriorated infrastructure – worsened by the impact of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 – as the culprit for massive train delays during the week of July 20th. (Max Pizarro, Politickernj.com) https://politickernj.com/2015/08/amtrak-contextualizes-apology-for-july-transit-delays/

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Amtrak: Hard number for what NJ would pay for tunnel currently unknown

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Following a presentation by an Amtrak representative Monday morning, state Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29) asked about how a proposed Gateway Program designed to relieve outdated infrastructure would alter or enhance Newark Penn Station. (Max Pizarro, Politickernj.com) https://politickernj.com/2015/08/amtrak-hard-number-for-what-nj-would-pay-for-tunnel-currently-unknown/

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Amtrak rep: ‘I know of no viable alternative’ to 2025-timed Gateway program

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If the earliest a new tunnel can be built is 2025, according to Steve Gardner of Amtrak, what happens between now and then if there is a significant system failure, asked state Senator Robert Gordon (D-38), chairman of the Senate Oversight Committee. “I know of no viable alternative,” Gardner told Gordon. (Max Pizarro, Politickernj.com) https://politickernj.com/2015/08/amtrak-rep-i-know-of-no-viable-alternative-to-2025-timed-gateway-program/

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Port Authority bus depot: the great gate reshuffle

NJT ticket machine

AUGUST 10, 2015, 6:19 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2015, 7:39 AM
BY MARY DIDUCH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

After Labor Day, about a third of commuters rushing to the Port Authority Bus Terminal after work will have to get used to racing toward different bus gates.

The Port Authority is reassigning 40 bus routes, affecting six of the facility’s 21 bus carriers, as part of a plan to improve operational efficiency at the aged terminal, Port Authority administrators announced Monday.

That could lead to less crowding and easier commutes home, they said.

The gate reassignments will happen as the bistate agency consolidates its bus operations, making it easier for the facility’s largest carriers — NJ Transit and Coach USA — to operate, which hopefully will translate into a smoother commute, said Diannae Ehler, general manager of the Lincoln Tunnel and Port Authority Bus Terminal.

The facility has never seen permanent gate reassignments on this scale —  “This is an extremely ambitious change to undertake,” Ehler said.

In a statement, NJ Transit Executive Director Veronique Hakim said the change will improve commutes by giving the carrier its own dedicated service area, shortening customers’ waiting time and streamlining the platform queuing process. Coach USA Executive Vice President Don Carmichael, also in a statement, said the realignment will allow Coach also to improve its efficiency.

The changes will affect about 30 percent of weekday passengers at the terminal for some routes of these carriers: NJ Transit, Lakeland and DeCamp, and Coach’s Community, Shortline and Rockland lines. Around 220,000 use the facility daily.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/latest-bid-to-better-port-authority-bus-depot-the-great-gate-reshuffle-1.1390259

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New Jersey Transit has a solution to commuter misery: stay home

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August 6th 2015

By Elise Young, Bloomberg NewsBloomberg

TENTON, N.J. — For six days in July, equipment failures forced New Jersey Transit trains to share a single Hudson River tunnel, delaying Manhattan commuters as long as 90 minutes.

Such disruptions will mount even if Amtrak, the national passenger railroad that owns the century-old tracks, makes repairs and builds replacements, which could take until 2030.

New Jersey Transit’s solution calls for flexible bosses.

In the event of a prolonged shutdown, the agency is counting on about one-third of its more than 165,000 daily Manhattan commuters to work from their houses. About 60,000 would be channeled to ferries and the rest could go by “a robust bus program,” said Nancy Snyder, a spokeswoman. Undetermined is what that would cost, or who would pay for such a workaround.

“This tunnel is going to be harder and harder to keep functioning reliably,” said Stephen Gardner, Amtrak’s executive vice president for Northeast Corridor business development. “It’s unreasonable to expect that there’s not going to be further kinds of disruptions or additional outages needed over several years ahead.”

New Jersey Transit, the nation’s third-largest commuter system, has few options. The ability to cross-honor, or send rail ticketholders to buses and the PATH subway during service interruptions, is constrained by space at the Port Authority terminal in Manhattan.

“For both bus and rail we are at or near full capacity in the peak,” Snyder said in an e-mail. Alternative transportation costs were too difficult to forecast, she said, because “many variables” can affect pricing.

“Amtrak has yet to come up with a plan or schedule regarding tunnel repairs that are expected to take place over the next 20 years,” Snyder said. “Until that happens, New Jersey Transit cannot speculate on the type of alternatives that may be necessary.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-news-bc-newjersey06-20150806-story.html