Posted on 03/08/2022 7:51:42 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Jersey City officials and a coalition of Hudson County bike groups have opposed the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s plans to widen the Hudson County extension through Bayonne and Jersey City to the Holland Tunnel and replace the aging Newark Bay bridge.
The opposition is based on concerns the project won’t alleviate congestion and would create more traffic and air pollution from vehicles cutting through Bayonne and Jersey City neighborhoods when traffic backs up on the extension.
Bike advocates have a powerful ally, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who had a letter sent on the city’s behalf, asking the Turnpike Authority to consider alternatives to widening because of concerns that the project would adversely affect the city’s residents.
“Based on the inclusion of additional travel lanes and anticipated impact on our local communities, Jersey City cannot support these projects as currently conceptualized,” wrote Barkha R. Patel, assistant city business administrator. “Please consider a reconstruction and modernization plan that maintains the existing number of travel lanes.”
The proposed $4.7 billion project would widen the roadway and replace the Turnpike extension’s elevated structures in three phases. The first would widen the extension to four lanes in both directions with shoulders between Turnpike exit 14 in Newark and 14A in Bayonne. That includes replacing the Newark Bay Bridge that was opened in April 5, 1956, which is two lanes wide in each direction.
The second phase replaces the two lane highway and bridges with a three lane road in both directions, plus shoulders, between Exit 14A in Bayonne and the Columbus Drive exit in Jersey City.
The third phase replaces the elevated structures from Columbus Drive to Jersey Avenue that soar over downtown Jersey City that will keep the current two lanes in each direction and include standard sized shoulders.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
PING!
Bike advocates have a powerful ally, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop,
The tunnel is the bottleneck. Widening the approach roads is of little use, you’ll still be waiting in traffic while the tunnel is full.
I agree, but hw do you widen a tunnel without snarling traffic also?
Build a new one?
True. The tunnel is a bottleneck but the real bottlenecks are the traffic signals in Manhattan. Drivers come out of the tunnel right into city traffic.
Actually, if you bear hard right coming out of the tunnel there is usually little traffic getting onto the West Side Highway. I have done this on a Sunday afternoon.
However, I agree most people try to go the other way, and get stuck.
In NJ??? Big DIG 2, here we come.
What’s YOUR solution?
I’m spitballing, trying to answer YOUR question :-)
My only solution to NJ was to move out. Now I am in Virginia. But my boys were born in Edison and Staten Island.
More payola.
The price of gasoline not a factor?
About a half-mile or so before the tunnel entrance, you can pull off the highway and scoot through town to the tunnel toll booths.
Ooops, scratch that. I was thinking of the Lincoln Tunnel.
For the Holland, I suggest you take the PATH trains from the Jersey side.
It would be fine if it’s widened on the way OUT of the city.
Unless they widen the tunnel, not much to do on the inbound.
Maybe I’m missing something, but if you take more traffic lanes to the Holland Tunnel without adding lanes to the tunnel itself, what is accomplished?
In any case, the days of the ‘working in the city’ are quickly coming to a close, so what’s the point here - spend the money on local roads, Interstates, and other highways instead.
To their credit, the turnpike authority will be tapering the highway as it approaches the tunnel: 8 lanes from I-95 to NJ 440, then 6 lanes to the Christopher Columbus avenue exit, and 4 lanes over the viaducts leading to the tunnel entrance.
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