Amid Clamor for Projects, $250M
Untapped
When the Port Authority raised toll rates in March, 2001, the deal struck between
the agency and the two governors included an infusion of $250 million for projects
for each state. Since then, Gov. McGreevey and NJ Transit have followed up. However,
New York State’s share of the money has not been mentioned in any context
since the toll deal was agreed to, two years ago.
McGreevey Takes on Gridlock
and Sprawl
At the January 7 New Jersey transportation “summit,” attended
by 1,000 people from business, finance, labor, construction
and related fields, Gov. James McGreevey issued an
executive order designed to tackle under-investment
in transportation. The governor repeatedly blamed inadequate
infrastructure for rising traffic congestion, disabling
bottlenecks and economic and vehicular gridlock.
LIRR’s Bauer Shown the
Door?
After only three years on the job, Kenneth Bauer announced
Jan. 9 he was resigning as president of the Long
Island Rail Road.
CT Strategy Board Flunks Sprawl Test,
Rowland Distant from Big Investment Plan
In CT, the Transportation Strategy Board released its
final recommendations -a 20-year
transportation “vision” that lays out a
10-year investment plan- to Gov. Rowland and the state
legislature. Rowland greeted the report by immediately
distancing himself from it because, he said, the state
cannot afford the Board’s recommendations...
No State of NY Transportation
Transportation policy did not figure in Gov. Pataki’s
state of the state speech last Wednesday. The governor
announced that he would push for the state’s
adoption of California’s carbon dioxide vehicle
emission standards, but the only other mention was
a vague reference to lower Manhattan reconstruction
Is Big Tappan Zee Study an Obstacle to Quick
Congestion Fix?
A series of questions to the Tappan Zee corridor study
team (primarily NY State Thruway and Metro-North officials,
plus consultants) from lower Hudson Valley stakeholders
last week elicited the theme that the study may be
standing in the way of short-term improvements to reduce
Tappan Zee congestion.
Cuts, Hikes Loom for CT Riders
The year has started poorly for Connecticut mass transit
riders. The Office of Policy and
Management recently requested a 10% increase in fares
on the New Haven Line. The
Transportation Strategy Board will also consider fare
hikes....
Major Gain in Brooklyn Car-Free Park Time
Starting January 21, 2003, a new trial program will
be instituted in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park that
will increas the number of car-free hours in the
park during the winter.
