What a concept - using railroad right-of-way for future rail freight growth at the Port of New York and New Jersey! Spokesmen for both Norfolk Southern Corp. and CSX Corp. believe the Bergen Arches in Jersey City is needed for future ship-to-rail operations. That's true especially if New York/New Jersey hopes to service huge container ships (8,000-plus containers per ship) in the 21st century. The likeliest site: the Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne, or MOTBY, where ample space, deep water, and rail connections to the mainland U.S. have captured the attention of ship lines, railroads, politicians, planners, and even the media. The...
Class I FreIght Railroads See Ship-to-Rail Intermodal OpportunIty: NS and CSX, addressing the Hudson Alliance for Rational Transportation (HART) on February 5 in Jersey City, plan to continue using a lower-level tunnel (currently a one-track operation in heavy use) for single-level boxes and boxcars. Double-stack capability, however, requires the "upper-level" Bergen Arches· a series of open cuts mixed with two short stretches of tunnel. The freight reps said clearance improvements could be accomplished "relatively easily" by "shaving the ceiling" of the two short tunnels; lowering the floor of the Arches is far more costly and problematic. NS and CSX saw the Bergen Arches handling freight "moving from, to and through the region - and playing a critical role in serving MOTBY. But, they noted, predecessor...
Conrail Pledged Sale of Bergen Arches to NJ Transit - Road Banker: NS and CSX are at present required to surrender the Bergen Arches to New Jersey Transit once (1) the West Shore Railroad gets two road/rail grade separations in the Meadowlands, allowing (2) freight rail traffic to move ott the River Line, slated to be converted to Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit. NJT would receive the Arches for $1 (or less), allowing it to convert the Arches to yet another highway (we wonder if WT sees the irony in such a move). But...
Highway Opposition Causes NJDOT, Local Officials to Scramble: Responding to NS and CSX - and, one hopes, HART - Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler has indicated interest in sharing the Arches with freight rail needs. The mayor is still is eager for a "local" road connection to the Hudson waterfront - and reportedly ridiculed NJ-A RPfor exploring options such as LRT. But the February 5 Jersey Journalfront-page "introductory" article on the Bergen Arches did a credible job identifying those in favor of the project, those opposed, andthe freight railroad position, all in even-handed style-thus giving equal timeto "road alternative"groups like HART (NJ-ARP is a HART member). Have options been explored? it appears not, since there is an...
Official NJDOT Stance - Another Road Needed for Congestion: Is NJDOT embarrassed as it tries to "build its way out of congestion" in New Jersey's most populated corner? Not at all. Coached by a public relations firm (headed by a former NJDOT chief), it suggests the expansion of existing "Route 139" (Tonnelle Circle to the Holland Tunnel) is congestion mitigation - or anticipated truck access for future truck/rail intermodalism - or a "New Jersey only" option to the Hudson waterfront - or even a 'local road" for Jersey City's benefit. The rationale (excuse?) appears to vary by the day. But...
Testimony Submitted to NJTPA Could Force an Evaluation of Options: NJ-A RP, submitting a statement February 12 to the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), noted, "If (NJTPA) is a true steward of the region if serves, it must endorse the use of the ex-Erie Railroad Bergen Arches (Jersey City) for intermodal freight rail access- and a key link to the future success of the Port of New York & New Jersey." NJ-ARP noted 'such containerized maritime/freight rail use takes precedence over passenger rail needs" though we certainly would entertain mixed freight/passenger rail use! - "and certainly outstrips any possible benefits of a highway/truck plan which would only add to traffic congestion in Hudson County." We're heartened by NJ-ARP members statewide who see a Bergen Arches highway for what it is: justification that any highway can be buih anywhere - and proof DOT has never met a road it didn't like.
