Several Jersey City elected officials and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla joined activists in protesting the $10.7 billion turnpike expansion ahead of a New Jersey Turnpike Authority meeting on the $6.2 billion Newark Bay-Hudson County extension last night.
By Daniel Ulloa and John Heinis/Hudson County View
Safe Streets JC President Talya Schwartz, one fo the main organizers of the rally, was highly critical of the air quality in the area, noting that her son has asthma, prior to introducing Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley.
“They’re [NJTA] not willing to be a partner with us. It’s a major problem for us. It’s a problem for health … We need a lot more meetings, I know the fight doesn’t stop,” she said.
Mayor Steven Fulop, a Democratic candidate for governor who came out against the project about two years ago, noted that the proposal to add lanes to the highway would not stop the bottleneck at the Holland Tunnel.
“$10 billion can go to solve every mass transit issue facing New Jersey today,” he said to applause.
“There’s no secret that NJ Transit is in disarray. There’s no secret that our busses are antiquated and unreliable. There’s no secret that the Bergen portion of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail does not exist. All of these could be solved with a fraction of that $10 billion.”
Fulop also noted that if Gov. Phil Murphy (D) initiated a lawsuit to halt New York’s congestion pricing plan, the same standard should apply here.
At the prior NJTA session in Bayonne, where Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis endorsed the plan, an official said because the project’s money was generated through a bond, they cannot allocate any of the funds to NJ Transit.
“We oppose this plan. Give us a seat at the table. There’s too much traffic going on in this corridor in Jersey City,” exclaimed Ward F Councilman Frank “Educational” Gilmore.
“Studies show, from throughout the world, that expansion of roadways and highways do not help alleviate congestion,” State Senator Raj Mukherji (D-32) declared to applause.
“They’re … enabling the demand for vehicle use, for increased vehicle use and that means you’re contributing to congestion, particularly when we’re not doing anything to alleviate the bottleneck at the Holland Tunnel … We don’t want it. We will suffer the most from it. This project does nothing… to meet the goals of the Paris accord.”
During his remarks, Ward E Councilman James Solomon mocked the project, having the attendees chant “worse!” when he asked if it would alleviate traffic or climate change, or impact asthma rates.
“And we get all of this for the low, low price of $11 billion, right?” he joked to boos from the audience.
Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), also a declared candidate for Jersey City mayor, also called for more more mass transit investment and fewer cars causing traffic jams.
He said it would harm Mary Benson Park, which is right by I-78, indicating it’s a baseball throw away from the turnpike.
As for Bhalla, he chided the project in light of the recent NJ Transit fare hikes, later calling on members of the press to ask gubernatorial candidates what their belief is on the project.
“Where are all the candidates who are running for governor? I challenge every member of this press, anyone whose running for governor in the State of New Jersey. Get your a** on this issue and tell us what you think about it!” Bhalla exclaimed.
“It’s so important we show up here today. It’s a health issue. In this area alone, it’s really bad. We’re going to fight to the end to make sure this doesn’t happen,” added Jersey City Council President Joyce Watterman, a declared candidate for mayor.
Inside the Mary McCleod Bethune Center, officials insisted the project would not greatly hurt the environment and said they have studied the issue in depth, contrary to the claims of the protestors.
“I know some of you would like a different format,” Tara Dowdell, a consultant to the NJTA on the project, said to begin the public presentation.
Before she got any further, protesters then booed loudly to disrupt the presentation.
“We want people to hear each other,” Dowdell said.
“Show some respect! Build the safe bridge!” shouted back labor union members who support the project.
Many of those opposing the project then walked out in unison.
“We would have hoped you would have stayed,” Dowdell noted as the union members applauded their departure. She later added that community outreach is a big part of their approach.
NJTA Program Manager Lisa Navarro explained replacing the Vincent R. Casciano Memorial Bridge over Newark Bay is their biggest priority.
“There is a lot of misinformation out there,” she argued.
Navarro said the part of the project by the Holland Tunnel will start construction in the 2030s, and they will continue to hold open houses on it.
“I hope through our discussions your concerns can be alleviated. The extension is at the end of its life. It’s our responsibility to address it.”
Navarro continued that the overall project is made up of four smaller projects. The first one is replacing the Casciano Memorial Bridge, better known as the Newark Bay Bridge. The whole project will be completed by about 2040.
She noted they will be continuing to work on repairing the bridge as part of “end-of-life care.”
“There will be no residential displacement for the entire 8.1 miles of this program,” Navarro declared.
She also said there would be no added lanes from exit 14 C in Bayonne to the end of the overpass bridge by the Holland Tunnel at Jersey Avenue.
They do, however, want to add shoulder space next to both lanes to increase safety while maintenance is done.
“The existing bridges (and overpasses) cannot be rehabilitated. We wish they could be rehabilitated … No city county at or fed tax dollars being used to fund this,” Navarro stated, also noting to applause that the project will create 25,000 jobs.
Navarro explained they want to build a new bridge across Newark Bay while the current one is operating.
The existing Casciano Bridge will then be demolished and replaced with one heading in the opposite direction, while the new bridge is then made to go in the opposite direction once the second new one is finished.
After public speeches, the experts were again available for the public to answer questions one-on-one.
This afternoon, the NJTA released a video on X in an effort to clear up misconceptions about the project.
The Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension is a vital connection between Hudson County and the mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike.
Let’s clear up any misconceptions, New Jersey: pic.twitter.com/GSgATUUNt1
— New Jersey Turnpike (@NJTurnpike) July 10, 2024
It is long over due for this extension people that are complaining about it do not use 78 West to the New Jersey Turnpike maybe if they did they would realize it’s long overdue for an expansion try to leave Jersey City at 4:00 and see all the congestion from Jersey City and Bayonne heading towards the New Jersey Turnpike if you worry about carbon monoxide cause just sitting there is worse than cause doing the speed limit or sitting in traffic 78 eastbound heading towards the Bayonne or Jersey City exit is a disaster. With the development going on on Route 440 in Jersey City going to Bayonne or Bayonne going into Jersey City that’s a disaster Jersey City’s going to have to take over property on both sides of 440 to make it four lanes going north and four lanes going south. Try leaving Jersey City on 440 to go to Newark if that’s not a disaster I don’t know what is
Ravi is such a chode.
What’s next for him? Mod of /r/victim?