Committee for Better Transit
3640 Bronx Boulevard
Bronx, NY 10467

Roseanne Koberle
Information Officer
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
One Newark Center
Newark, NJ 07102

Dear Ms. Koberle:

I am a member of the Committee for Better Transit, which is supporting the Hudson Alliance for Rational Transportation in their efforts to improve Hudson County. I believe that the $1 million set aside for the Bergen Arches study should allow for the examination of a wide range of alternatives for this project. Specifically, the following issues should be kept in mind.

1) The Arches could provide capacity for the the growth of containerized rail freight service linked to the Bayonne waterfront. Without adequate rail access, any expansion of shipping would overload the roads of Hudson County with more trucks.

2) The Newport and Exchange Place areas of Jersey City are to gain rail transit service to the north and south via the new Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system. Additional transit service is needed to the west and northwest. Although a new route would require further study, light rail could use either the Bergen Arches or the cut through Journal Square. At a minimum, the waterfront should have a direct transit link to the Northeast Corridor at Allied Junction.

Hudson County is one of the densest areas of the state, but it is favored with an extensive rail infrastructure. As an alternative to highway expansion, I would urge that the NJTPA emphasize the movement of people and freight through the county by rail.

Sincerely,

Paul DiMaria