Current edition: Mobilizing the Region #485
January 10, 2005
SPORTS EXTRA
Alien visitors to our region might be initially heartened to learn that our elected leaders have laid to rest so many basic social, economic and environmental problems that they are able to devote considerable time, energy and public resources to the problem of locating and housing professional sports teams. Stadium mania has indeed gripped the metropolitan region, with no fewer than eight major venues proposed for construction or overhaul, in addition to New York City’s bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. Most of these projects will have major transportation consequences. We survey them in this edition.
Transportation Watchdogs Sue Over Jets Stadium Plan-Cite Weak Traffic Study
On December 22nd, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign filed a lawsuit in NY Supreme Court against the City of New York and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority over their approval of the environmental impact statement for the Hudson Yards project, which includes the proposed West Side Jets stadium.
NASCAR's Plan to Beat Gridlock
International Speedway Corp. recently purchased a 675-acre former industrial site in Staten Island to develop its newest NASCAR speedway. The choice seemed ironic at first, given Staten Island’s legendary traffic problems and high degree of car dependence. But unlike any other large-scale entertainment or other type of developer in the city, NASCAR has worked out an innovative plan to bring 80,000 fans per event to its chosen site.
New Transit Ties in Yankee Stadium
The NY Yankees have proposed a new $700 million stadium in Macombs Dam Park across the street from their current Bronx home. The NY Post reports the plan includes a Harlem River ferry terminal and a new Metro-North Hudson Line station.
The NHL is still locked out, but plans to build an arena in Newark for the New Jersey Devils are among the most advanced stadium plans in the region — a construction management company should begin work very soon.
No Transit Gains Tied to NYC 2012?
What happened to the notion that attracting the Olympic Games is supposed to provide long-term benefits for the host city? At least as far as transportation, there isn’t much there for New York, according to the latest version of NYC 2012 bid.
Atlantic Yards Must be Slam Dunk for MTA
Seventeen community groups and four prominent elected officials recently wrote to NYC City Council Speaker Gifford Miller and NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to urge that the MTA receive fair market value for the development rights over the MTA-owned Atlantic Yards property.
Traffic a Sticking Point for New Giants Stadium
The NY Giants have proposed building a new stadium with the team’s money in the New Jersey Meadowlands, but have not sealed the deal with the state because of concerns over game day traffic. The Xanadu entertainment complex could generate huge quantities of weekend car trips and snarl lower Bergen County and adjacent areas when combined with football traffic.
Coliseum Plan-Nassau Hub Phase 1
New York Islanders owner Charles Wang has proposed redeveloping the Nassau Coliseum and its surroundings with the Lighthouse, a 60-story hotel and condo building, along with retail and recreational uses.
| Each week, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign publishes Mobilizing the Region, or MTR. MTR is a bulletin on New Jersey, New York and Connecticut transportation news and opinion from the perspective of advocacy for sustainable transportation. |
| MTR #485 printable format (PDF) file (requires Adobe Acrobat).
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Recent editions:
MTR 484-December 21, 2004
MTR 483-December 13, 2004
MTR 482-December 6, 2004
MTR 481-November 22, 2004
