Pataki's Transit Legacy at Risk?
It will be the ironic if inaction on transit budget problems
by Governor Pataki next year led the MTA to reduce
the discounts it offers for weekly and monthly subway
and bus passes.
New Jersey Sprawl War: Just Beginning
While a recent NY Times report said that Governor McGreevey’s
war on sprawl is “all but in tatters,” articles
in New Jersey newspapers have presented a more thoughtful
perspective. Meanwhile, legislative races and public
opinion indicate that the efforts to rein in New Jersey’s
sprawl are at an early stage and will have legs for some
time to come.
Traffic Busting Smart Growth Bill Good to Go
While Governor McGreevey’s anti-sprawl legislation
appears in limbo, one smart growth bill (S. 2093) — which
allows towns to consider traffic impacts of development — still
has a chance for approval this year. It was approved
by the Senate Community Affairs Committee last May, but
has yet to be voted on by the full Senate or Assembly.
PATH and Metrocard: Perfect Together
The PATH World Trade
Center station and the downtown line to Jersey City is
scheduled to reopen on Nov. 23, one month ahead of schedule.
Long Island Traffic Calming Grants Available
The New
York State Department of Transportation released a
request at the beginning of October for proposals for
traffic calming and bicycle and pedestrian projects
on Long Island. A total of $2.7 million is available
for 2004 community projects under DOT’s “Local
Safe Streets and Traffic Calming” Program.
Evaluating Transit Villages
In a recent announcement, NJ DOT Commissioner Jack
Lettiere announced six new transit villages—Collingswood,
Bound Brook, Belmar, Bloomfield, and Matawan—and
a $200,000 grant for each. The program’s expansion
follows awards earlier this month for major improvements
in two designated transit villages. South Orange received
$720,000 to expand its commuter shuttle service and
Rutherford received $420,000 for completion of a safety-enhancing
roundabout at Station Square.
