But several other items in the agreement ratified at a special Port Authority board meeting Friday could produce significant transportation developments. The PA approved a $35 million investment to complete a rail link between the Staten Island Railroad and the NJ Chemical Coast Line, which will finally provide Howland Hook Container Terminal and S.I.'s Arlington Yard with useful rail connections to the mainland and ease trucking over the Goethals Bridge. It was not clear as we went to press whether the PA has struck a local agreement that meets Union County's concerns about the rail connection. The board also approved PA acquisition of the Port Ivory site adjacent to Howland Hook for container terminal expansion, as well as $5 million to plan and design additional Howland Hook rail connections.

Port "greening" elements in the deal include continuation of container barge service between Red Hook and NJ and the electrification of diesel-powered cranes in Red Hook and, as the Journal of Commerce reported Friday, expansion by Maher and Sealand-Maersk of the Newark/Elizabeth Express Rail Terminal at their terminals.

The Port Authority will also make a $250 million transportation "development bank" available to New York, though candidate projects for this fund are unclear for now.

The deal also calls for the Port Authority to articulate a 5-year capital program, after six months of study that will also evaluate needs for PATH fare and bridge and tunnel toll increases. A PA 15-year "investment agenda" obtained last fall by the Star-Ledger (MTR #242) called for a new commuter rail tunnel between NJ and Manhattan, a Goethals Bridge "twin," further development of the port and a new fleet of PATH cars. It said fare and toll increases would have to be part of the funding mix to accomplish these projects, and that it would be ideal if higher rates were in place by mid-2001.

The Governors' Thursday statement made no mention of the Goethals twin - hopefully, political leaders will keep the PA staff away from the unpopular, unnecessary project and will not make the mistake of linking a toll increase to its construction.

PATH fares have not been increased since the 1980s, and PA bridge and tunnel tolls have been the same since the early 90s. If the agency determines an increase is needed, it should offer smart policy changes to the riding and driving public - a PATH fare system with discounted transfers to and from NYC Transit and the Hudson-Bergen light rail, and value-priced tolls that offer a break to off-peak drivers and congestion relief during rush hour.