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 Platform Update
September 2009
ACTION ITEMS
ARC MASS TRANSIT TUNNEL: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced last month $130 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars will fund the ARC Mass Transit Tunnel project. He said $110 million of those funds will be allocated towards design and engineering expenses, as well as costs associated with construction and project management activities. The balance – $20 million – will be used for a new underpass structure to raise Route 1 and 9 over the new ARC core tracks and modifications to the building located at 2001 Tonnelle Avenue.
The ARC Mass Transit Tunnel project, being built in partnership with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, is a new nine-mile commuter rail system. It is anticipated to double the number of trains that can travel under the Hudson between New York and New Jersey from 23 to 48 per hour. The project will also double the peak period passenger capacity from 46,000 to 90,000. The extra train service is expected to eliminate 22,000 automobile trips a day. The project will create approximately 6,000 construction-related jobs annually and is expected to be completed by 2017.
Advocating for the prioritization and funding for the Mass Transit Tunnel is a primary goal of the P4P Transportation Coalition.
NJ TURNPIKE & GARDEN STATE PARKWAY IMPROVEMENTS: Work is proceeding on both the NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway expansion projects. The NJ Turnpike Authority recently selected the Shaw Group Inc. to perform construction management and inspection services for the Turnpike widening project. The Shaw Group is a leading global provider of technology, engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance. The Turnpike will be widened between Interchange 6 ( Mansfield Township , Burlington County ) and Interchange 9 (East Brunswick, Middlesex County ). The roadway will be widened to 12 lanes with major modifications constructed at four interchanges. Project completion is targeted for late 2014.
The Garden State Parkway will be widened between Interchange 80 in Toms River and Interchange 30 in Somers Point. The first phase of this project is from Milepost 80 to Milepost 63. The final design of this phase is currently underway.
In related news, the DOT announced that a new flyover ramp will open on Sept. 17 which will allow drivers on the Garden State Parkway to reach destinations along the Route 78 corridor without first having to double back from Route 78 eastbound. The new ramp is part of an ongoing $121 million project to improve traffic flow at the interchange of the two major roadways.
Advocating for the widening of the NJ Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway is a primary goal of the P4P Transportation Coalition.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
FEDERAL HIGHWAY LEGISLATION: Congressman James Oberstar, U.S. House Transportation Committee chairman, said a six-year, $450 billion highway bill is unlikely to clear Congress this fall, and that an extension of current transportation funding is likely. While not a surprise since much focus is on national health care reform, this delay in overhauling federal transportation policy is a setback. Congress started the year with important infrastructure investments through the stimulus package, but that effort was intended to be a quick shot in the arm for the economy, not a long-term commitment to shoring up the nation’s critical infrastructure. While Chairman Oberstar still seeks to pass a full multi-year reauthorization, the Obama Administration is looking to push debate off to 2011 by extending current law for 18 months.
LIBERTY CORRIDOR: U.S. Senator Robert Menendez convened a meeting this month of the Liberty Corridor Advisory Board. An area of seven northeastern counties and one western county, Liberty Corridor is where multi-modal transportation systems, such as ports, highways, airports, rail lines and research facilities, play a vital role in linking and nurturing the base economy of manufacturing and commerce with global implications. It also addresses critical national and regional economic and transportation needs. At the meeting, DOT Commissioner Steve Dilts provided an update on the Phase 1 projects, which targets key “ready to go” projects that involve fundamental connectivity, such as the Tremley Point Connector road in Linden . Phase 2 will build on the success of Phase I by focusing on targeted investments in the transportation system that support and enhance economic growth.
BAYONNE BRIDGE: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released the results of a study completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that found the Bayonne Bridge ’s height will pose an increasing obstacle for the newest and largest commercial ships in the coming decades. For a copy of the Bayonne Bridge Air Draft Analysis, click here. Recently the agency authorized a $10 million planning and engineering 18-month study to determine the best solution for rectifying the Bayonne Bridge ’s clearance problem.
Due to the current dimensions of the Bayonne Bridge , vessels calling on the Port are challenged every time they attempt to access Staten Island or the Newark Bay complex. If the Bayonne Bridge is not raised or replaced, cargo will be delivered elsewhere and New Jersey will lose billions of dollars in Port revenue.
ROUTE 18 AND ROUTE 287 UPDATE: Last month Governor Corzine announced the completion of the Route 18 reconstruction. Over 80,000 cars per day travel Route 18 bound for downtown New Brunswick entities including Rutgers University , Johnson & Johnson’s Corporate Headquarters, Saint Peter’s University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital . The improvements will reduce traffic congestion and increase mobility throughout the New Brunswick area, reducing travel time from about 30 minutes to about 10 minutes from I-287 to Route 1.
Work has begun on a $29 million road repair and upgrading project for Route 287 in Middlesex and Somerset counties, an operation that will continue for the next two years. Using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the DOT will resurface the highway from Stelton Road in Piscataway to Easton Avenue in Franklin Township , and will repair two bridge decks. The work will stretch from Exit 5 to Exit 11.
ROUTE 72 BRIDGE REPAIR: Deck repairs on the Route 72 Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge between Ship Bottom and Stafford has begun and will continue into spring of 2010. The NJDOT will begin temporary single lane closures on Route 72 in both directions as construction starts on the bridge deck rehabilitation. Concrete repairs will be made to the bridge deck in preparation for application of the deck overlay. The project will be done in stages this fall and in the spring. It will improve safety on the bridge over the Manahawkin Bay by repairing the concrete bridge deck, reconstructing the roadway curb and repaving Route 72 with a new surface of asphalt. The $4 million interim bridge-deck repair is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
ACCESS ROAD IMPROVEMENT WORK AT SIX NJ PATCO STATIONS: PATCO is set to embark on a three month project to both repave the roadway and repair concrete curbs for the access roads at six PATCO Stations in New Jersey , beginning with the Lindenwold Station and then proceeding west to Ashland , Haddonfield, Westmont, Collingswood and Ferry Avenue . Work at the Lindenwold Station will include a new dedicated right turn lane from northbound White Horse Road . This is expected to improve traffic flow in the area, especially during the morning commute. At the Ferry Avenue Station in Camden , a portion of the curb and sidewalk will be reconfigured to better direct traffic flow. The work also includes the installation of new rumble strips in the vicinity of crosswalks near the stations to improve pedestrian safety.
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NJ AIRPORTS: U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg announced the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Atlantic City International Airport , Trenton-Robbinsville Airport and Princeton Airport more than $585,000 in funding through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for studies, upgrades and improvements. Lautenberg said in a press release that “ New Jersey 's aviation network is a vital part of our state’s economy”. Atlantic City International Airport will receive $290,000 to update the airport’s master plan and wildlife hazard assessment. Trenton-Robbinsville Airport will receive $194,728 to rehabilitate a T-hangar apron and conduct a study on runway safety. Princeton Airport will receive $104,339 for the design and construction of a T-hangar.
Click here for the previous update.
Michael Egenton
Vice President , Environment & Transportation
New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
216 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609)989-7888 Ext. 119
Fax: (609)989-9696
Michael.Egenton@njchamber.com
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