Tag: commuters

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Hudson Tunnel Project Environmental Impact Evaluation

Ridgewood-Trainstation1_theridgewoodblog

May 15,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood commuters ,the Federal Railroad Administration and NJ TRANSIT are jointly preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the Hudson Tunnel Project. Two public meetings have been set up with will offer a presentation and take comments .

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and NJ TRANSIT are jointly preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the Hudson Tunnel Project. The Project is intended to preserve the current functionality of the Northeast Corridor’s (NEC) Hudson River rail crossing between New Jersey and New York and strengthen the resilience of the NEC. The Project would consist of construction of a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River, including railroad infrastructure in New Jersey and New York connecting the new rail tunnel to the existing NEC, and rehabilitation of the existing NEC tunnel beneath the Hudson River, referred to as the North River Tunnel.

The North River Tunnel is used by Amtrak for intercity passenger rail service and by NJ TRANSIT for commuter rail service. The approach to the tunnel begins east of NJ TRANSIT’s Frank R. Lautenberg Station in Secaucus, NJ (which is 5 miles east of Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT’s Newark Penn Station). East of the Secaucus station, the NEC has two tracks that approach the tunnel on a raised embankment through the towns of Secaucus and North Bergen, NJ. Tracks enter a tunnel portal in North Bergen, passing beneath Union City and Weehawken, NJ and the Hudson River before emerging within the Penn Station New York (PSNY) rail complex in New York City. The tunnel has two separate tubes, each accommodating a single track for electrically powered trains, and extends approximately 2.5 miles from the tunnel portal in North Bergen to PSNY.  The existing North River Tunnel is a critical NEC asset and is the only intercity passenger rail crossing into New York City from New Jersey and areas west and south.

Service reliability throughout the tunnel has been compromised because of the damage to tunnel components caused by Superstorm Sandy, which inundated both tubes in the North River Tunnel with seawater in October 2012, resulting in the cancellation of all Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT service into New York City for five days. While the tunnel was restored to service and is now safe for travel, chlorides from the seawater remain in the tunnel’s concrete liner and bench walls, causing ongoing damage to the bench walls, imbedded steel, track, and signaling and electrical components.

The damage caused by Superstorm Sandy is compounded by the tunnel’s age and the intensity of its current use (operating at capacity to meet current demands), resulting in frequent delays due to component failures within the tunnel.

Public Scoping Meetings

FRA and NJ TRANSIT will hold two public scoping meetings on the following dates:

May 17, 2016
Hotel Pennsylvania
Gold Ballroom, 3rd Floor
401 Seventh Avenue at West 33rd Street
New York, NY

May 19, 2016
Union City High School
2500 Kennedy Boulevard
Union City, NJ

Both days will include an afternoon session from 3 to 5 PM with a brief presentation about the Project at 4 PM, and an evening session from 6 to 8 PM with a brief presentation about the Project at 7 PM. The public will be able to review Project information, talk informally with members of the study staff, and formally submit comments to the FRA (to a stenographer or in writing). The meeting facilities will be accessible to persons with disabilities. Spanish language translators will be present. If special translation or signing services or other special accommodations are needed, please contact the Project team five days prior to the meeting at 973-261-8115, or email [email protected].

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Permit process for new Hudson River rail tunnel could cost taxpayers $13B, report says

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If the Gateway project to dig a new tunnel under the Hudson River proceeds like other big projects, the permitting process alone could take seven years and cost taxpayers $13 billion. That’s before the first shovel of dirt is even moved, according to a report released Monday by Common Good, a nonprofit group. Christopher Maag, The Record Read more

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Now Two NJ Transit rail unions have rejected the contract that avoided strike

lasttraintoclarksville_theridgewoodblog
May 5,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, now two unions representing New Jersey Transit’s conductors and locomotive engineers have voted against ratifying recently negotiated labor agreements.The United Transportation Union’s C&T division and the NJ Transit Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen are the two unions that rejected the contracts.

The new contract reached March 13th ,averted a strike that would have shut down the agency’s commuter-rail system.The tentative agreements have  both failed ratifications by narrow margins. Despite two rejections, 14 other unions ratified their contracts by significant majorities,and the 14 contracts have been approved by the board of NJ Transit and are now in effect

The two dissenting unions have the right, under the Federal Railway Labor Act, to request the resumption of negotiations, earlier agreements, have instituted an additional 60-day “cooling off” period currently in effect now that precludes strikes or lockouts. So it looks like for the time being that Ridgewood rail commuters are safe to assume trains will still be ariving at the station for the time being.

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Glen Rock is removing ‘non resident parking’ from the train station, while Ridgewood looks to increase ‘non resident parking’

lasttraintoclarksville_theridgewoodblog

April 26,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, from the “take back Ridgewood ” Facebook group ,Glen Rock is removing ‘non resident parking’ from the train station and moving non residents a block away. In Ridgewood, our Mayor and his team want to add more non resident commuter parking near the train station for political gains. We need to be informed and vote against his team on May 10th. We can’t afford 4 more years of this.

Glen Rock’s Borough Hall station parking lot to be designated for local commuters beginning May 1

BY RICHARD DE SANTA
STAFF WRITER |
GLEN ROCK GAZETTE

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/town-government/lot-to-be-designated-for-local-commuters-beginning-may-1-1.1550779

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Homeless Man Camps out at Ridgewood Train Station

Homeless at Ridgewood Train Station

April 20,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Homeless man spotted sleeping midday at Ridgewood train station on Wednesday 4 20 2016 photo doc. Critics of the Hudson Garage claim the garage will bring many more especially in winters. It is of coarse very sad to see.

While some readers insist , “this town is quickly becoming a dump just another NJ town… nothing special.
No compelling reason to aspire to live here.

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in GWB scandal case argue creating a traffic jam is not a crime

GWB

Lawyers for two former associates of Gov. Christie have hit back at government prosecutors, insisting that their clients violated no laws and broke no Port Authority policies when they allegedly closed access lanes to the George Washington Bridge to exact political revenge on a New Jersey mayor. Paul Berger, The Record, Read more

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Port Authority offers $1M in contest for NYC bus terminal design

saturday night fever

BY PAUL BERGER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

The Port Authority launched a design contest Friday that will pay $1 million to the winner of a competition to replace its overburdened and outdated midtown Manhattan bus terminal.

 

https://www.northjersey.com/news/port-authority-launches-1m-design-competition-for-midtown-bus-terminal-1.1526658

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Flo’s Market at Ridgewood Train Station Sells Winning Jersey Cash 5 Ticket

pick 5 ridgewood

Jersey Cash 5 Ticket Wins $184,570 Jackpot in Bergen County

By staff
Monday, Mar 07, 2016

One Bergen County ticket matched all five numbers for the Jersey Cash 5 game drawn on Friday, March 4 winning the $184,570 jackpot. The ticket was purchased at Flo’s Market at Ridgewood Train Station, 6 Garber Square, Ridgewood in Bergen County.

Executive Director Carole Hedinger said the top prizewinning ticket was the only one sold for Friday’s drawing that matched all five numbers drawn. The winning numbers were: 25, 27, 30, 40 and 42.

https://bergendispatch.com/articles/37755771/Jersey-Cash-5-Ticket-Wins-184-570-Jackpot-in-Bergen-County.aspx

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Resident Dana Glazer , the real agenda here is to make Ridgewood into another “Transit Village”

village council meeting

Dana H. Glazer speech from the Wednesday Night Council Meeting

I am here to express my strong belief that the real agenda here is to make Ridgewood into another “Transit Village” like

Hackensack, in which a giant garage is built to primarily serve commuters from out of town; in which the master plan is radically amended to allow for high density housing which will create a large influx of new families into the CBD – thus straining our resources and permanently altering the face of our town.

I believe this is still the case, because on February 23rd the Executive of the County said in his State of the County address “I’m sure you’ve all read our partnership with Ridgewood. They’re looking to partner with the BCIA to fund their parking garage and partner with them.” He went on to describe this proposed garage as “a commuter garage to be used by commuters all day long..”

Now, on February 21st, two days before the State of the County, Mayor Aronsohn wrote to residents an email saying “in the spirit of getting this project done –once and for all – and in the spirit of doing it together as a community, I am willing to re-introduce the January bond ordinance at our March 2 Council meeting. “

If there’s no intention of making Ridgewood into a Transit Village, why was the County Executive announcing this Ridgewood partnership in his big speech two days later? Shouldn’t someone have told him not to include it? It makes no sense.

The only way it makes sense is if making Ridgewood into a Transit Village is still the only plan. Why else wouldn’t our Village Council immediately repeal the County Bond before funding the garage through the town? 1500 residents petitioned loudly against this, in an initiative Ridgewood has not seen in years – if ever, right? Our Council Majority would never let this happen because it would jeopardize the real plan– Ridgewood as a Transit Village.

That is why the “Plan E” garage proposal that Lorraine Reynolds and Gail McCarthy have so passionately worked behind the scenes to put together, having spoken with hundreds of residents, shopkeepers and Mt. Carmel – what is being called the “People’s Garage” – I believe is going to be sabotaged – or ignored completely.

I believe this “People’s Garage” will never see the light of day because the shenanigans will continue, whether they relate to the site plan, the financials, the traffic studies or anything else deemed necessary to do this right; and then on March 23rd, if Councilwoman Knudsen and Councilman Sedon stand up and say “No” the Council Majority or even just table the issue, the Council Majority will turn this against them, loudly proclaiming, “See, they are anti-garage. Now, let’s vote for people who are pro-garage and let’s vote to go to the County because there’s no other way to do this in Ridgewood.”

But here’s the thing:  this upcoming election will not be about a garage. It will be about who votes in favor of the upcoming High Density Housing vote later this month. It will ultimately be about who trashed our town and made it into a Transit Village like Hackensack. That’s what’s at stake here.

So, Councilman Sedon and Councilwoman Knudsen, I am encouraging you to listen to the 1500 people who petitioned loudly that WE DON’T WANT A COUNTY GARAGE. I trust you will do anything and everything to keep this from happening.

Thank you.

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NJ Transit, unions to meet in D.C. in attempt to avert strike

bike_at_rtrainstation_theridgewoodblog

BY CHRISTOPHER MAAG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

After five years of occasionally hostile negotiations, NJ Transit and its rail unions will meet on March 4 at the National Mediation Board in Washington, D.C., both sides confirmed Friday. The gathering is one last attempt to avert a strike that could cripple transportation across the region’s.

“The National Mediation Board called a meeting, and NJT will attend,” said Nancy Snyder, a spokeswoman for NJ Transit.

The sides remain far apart. From the unions’ perspective, NJ Transit’s offer of a modest wage increase would be wiped out by significantly higher health insurance costs for workers.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/nj-transit-unions-to-meet-in-d-c-in-attempt-to-avert-strike-1.1518869

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NJ TRANSIT Commuters Gearing Up For Potential Strike

lasttraintoclarksville_theridgewoodblog

February 22, 2016 8:52 PM

RAMSEY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — NJ TRANSIT commuters are preparing for the worst if a strike happens next month.

Commuters tell 1010 WINS’ Glenn Schuck that nerves about a possible walkout are starting to set in.

“Just like anything else, you just have to get to the table and hash it out, working around the clock and avoid those last-minute negotiations that keep everybody biting their fingernails to the morning of,” one person told 1010 WINS.

Another commuter was concerned about the bus capacity.

“The bus doesn’t run as efficiently,” he said. “It could get crowded and it definitely could affect people.”

At NJ TRANSIT’s board meeting earlier this month, the head of the union that represents conductors said more than a dozen unions affected by the contract negotiations have authorized a strike if necessary.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/02/22/commuters-nj-transit-strike/

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NJ Transit boss blasts federal strike settlement proposal

lasttraintoclarksville_theridgewoodblog

By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 20, 2016 at 8:40 AM, updated February 20, 2016 at 11:17 AM

NJ Transit’s interim boss sharply criticized a federal labor panels recommendations to settle a contract with union rail workers, calling the proposal for “platinum level” health benefits “unreasonable and excessive.”

In a reply to nine members of Congress, who wrote him on Feb. 17, urging a settlement to avoid a possible strike, Dennis Martin, interim executive director reiterated that the agency and riders can’t afford the cost of a settlement endorsed by a second Presidential Emergency Board.

A federal cooling off period ends on March 13 and union rail workers can strike or management can lock them out. The unions have been working without a new contract since 2011. Talks were held as recently as Wednesday and a tentative negotiation session is scheduled for next week.

In it’s letter, members of the delegation said “NJ Transit should seriously consider the Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) 249 proposal, authored by a neutral panel of independent arbitrators, as a path forward.” They also suggested the agency could use federal funds to pay for a settlement.

Martin, in his reply letter, dated Friday, told the lawmakers NJ Transit can’t tap into money from the recently authorized federal transportation funding legislation to pay for a settlement, as the lawmakers suggested.

That money is available for capital construction projects, not for regular operating expenses “such as the exorbitant wages and benefits recommended by the PEB,” Martin wrote. “Addressing the underlying unreasonableness of the excessive level and cost of the platinum level health benefits recommended by the PEB is what is required.”

https://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/nj_transit_boss_blasts_federal_strike_settlement_p.html

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BCIA County Commuter Garage paves way for Ridgewood as a “Transit Hub”

Ridgewood_Train_station_train _is_coming_theridgewoodblog
February 16,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, after years of subtle move it looks like developers will get there “Transit Hub” in Ridgewood once and for all.Since 2012 the Ridgewood blog was featuring stories on the urban transit hub idea and now with the County Garage on Hudson Street plans can move forward with high density housing and a further transformation of Ridgewood into a small city  and commuter access point to New York City.  The idea seems to have been in play since the Ridgewood Train Station ,$40 million dollar remodeling job and NJT looked to build a parking garage in Ridgewood .

Residential developers aim for piece of proposed $1B Urban Transit Hub expansion

https://theridgewoodblog.net/residential-developers-aim-for-piece-of-proposed-1b-urban-transit-hub-expansion/

Readers ask Why did Senator Menendez Pick the Ridgewood Train Station to to Launch a Mass Transit Policy Initiative?

https://theridgewoodblog.net/readers-ask-why-did-senator-menendez-pick-the-ridgewood-train-station-to-to-launch-a-mass-transit-policy-initiative/

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Reader says I voted YES on the November referendum and am furious at the way the Council Majority is trying to shove this huge garage through by having the county bond it

Hudson Street Parking Garage

I am one of the petitioners and I can tell you that many who have signed for me state categorically that they voted YES on the November referendum and are furious at the way the Council Majority is trying to shove this huge garage through by having the county bond it.

No one is happy with the County bonding it. They want a garage, almost everyone wants a garage, but they want a reasonable size and they want Ridgewood to issue the bond. And to answer your snarky suggestion, we are not collecting email addresses. Leave that level of underhandedness to those who use private email lists such as CHURCH GROUP lists to disseminate their campaign information. (yes, you know who you are).

Stop making the claim that 65% voted for the plan. Watch this to see what 65% knew before the vote –https://www.tubechop.com/watch/7623263