Bayonne Councilman at-Large Loyad Booker, a candidate for mayor, is calling for the initial two-bridge plan for the Newark Bay Bridge project shortly after Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) and other local electeds came out in support of a one-bridge alternative.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“With infrastructure this important, you only get one chance to get it right. This cannot be a scaled-back solution that ignores the reality of the traffic our community deals with every day,” Booker said in a statement.
“Replacing a 70-year-old bridge with anything less than the full two-bridge design would be a mistake. This project must be built to handle the future of port activity, freight movement, and regional growth.”
Earlier this month, Sherrill came out in favor of a one-bridge plan that Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City Mayor James Solomon had advocated for.
Then on Friday, Bayonne mayoral candidate Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski indicating that the Peninsula City deserves a seat at the table for Newark Bay Bridge project, phase one of the multi-billion dollar Turnpike widening project, both as HCV first reported.
Booker also pointed to a major improvement in the two-bridge design that would immediately benefit Bayonne drivers.
Under the proposed plan, drivers entering the Turnpike at Exit 14A in Bayonne would have a dedicated westbound lane, while drivers traveling from Jersey City would also have their own dedicated westbound lane, the candidate stated.
This would eliminate the dangerous and constant merging that currently takes place at Exit 14A — one of the biggest causes of congestion and backups affecting Bayonne residents every single day.
“This design finally fixes one of the worst choke points in the entire corridor. Bayonne drivers should not be forced to fight for space with merging traffic every day just to get onto the Turnpike. The two-bridge plan separates the traffic, improves safety, and keeps vehicles moving,” Booker declared.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will ultimate decide the future of the Newark Bay Bridge and the non-partisan May 12th Bayonne mayoral race also features Business Administrator/Board of Education President Mary Jane Desmond.