Last week, NJTransit posted the dates of the long-awaited public "scoping" meetings for the Draft Environmental Impact Study of three potential new rail lines west of the Hudson River. All meetings will take place between 3-5pm and 7-9pm:

WEST SHORE LINE
July 12, Orangetown Town Hall, 26 Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 
July 18, Teaneck Recreation Center, 250 Colonial Court, Teaneck, NJ 

NORTHERN BRANCH
July 11, John Harms Center for the Arts, 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 

CROSS COUNTY LINE (NY Susquehanna & Western) 
July 10, Bergen County Freeholder's Meeting Room, 5th Floor, 1 Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ 
July 17, Passaic County Freeholder's Meeting Room, Room 223, 401 Grand Street, Paterson, NJ 

    Public comment should focus on what topics the study should consider. Contact NJTransit toll-free at 1-866-658-9874 with questions. 
    Topics likely to be suggested are: cost of construction, time for construction, cost per new transit rider, number of auto trips diverted, and conflicts with freight transport. A previous NJTransit study projected ridership for a restored West Shore Line at 15,000, Northern Branch at 11,350, and the Cross County Line at 4,500 (MTR #219). The West Shore Line would also offer huge improvements to Rockland County transit (see previous article), but presents the largest conflict with existing freight service. 

West Shore Solution: 3-Line Network - May 7, 1999

MTA Stalls West Shore Line: Rockland Rebels - January 7, 2000

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