In an editorial, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 Business Manager Greg Lalevee applauds the New Jersey Turnpike Authority for moving the turnpike widening project forward.
Large infrastructure projects typically are contentious where NIMBY complaints are loud and threatening.
Those who oppose these investments are usually effective at making their voices heard but that does not mean they are right or that the broader community of residents — the quiet majority – should be overlooked or ignored.
A perfect example is the New Jersey Turnpike expansion in Hudson County. This is a vital project –for all of New Jersey, including for the residents and businesses in Hudson County.
Thousands of New Jersey residents depend on the Turnpike for their commute.
In a utopian world public transport for all would be the answer but for the fact we live in the real world where cars and the roads they drive on are how many of us live.
Certainly, this is an important project for our state and at the same time what must not be disregarded is the significant growth of Jersey City where tens of thousands of commuters now travel to and from on the Turnpike.
What’s more, the Turnpike is how billions of dollars in goods arriving at New Jersey ports get to New York City employing tens of thousands of New Jerseyans.
That is why it is so important the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is moving ahead with plans to replace the Newark Bay Bridge – the nearly-70-year-old structure that gets commuters and products shipped to our busy port into Jersey City and New York through Bayonne.
The Turnpike Authority has carefully designed this project with foresight as to the transportation needs for commuters and freight.
At the same time, planners have worked assiduously to ensure not a single home or apartment will be taken and air quality will be monitored to ensure compliance.
Despite the threats to shout down and sue to stop the project at a recent hearing, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, the Democratic nominee for county sheriff, declared his city supports the project 100 percent, according to Hudson County View.
“This project means everything to the city of Bayonne and its economic future,” he said, noting that infrastructure has not kept up with growth in the county over the years.
Of course, Mayor Davis is correct and he is right to stand up to other elected officials in Hudson and their advocates who incorrectly complain that the funds for this project could be used in to support NJ Transit.
While increased funding for our mass transit always makes a great deal of sense, the funding for the Turnpike cannot legally be used because of bond covenants, according to Gov. Murphy’s transportation guru, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.
She also has explained that opponents are wrong to pit the Turnpike expansion versus transit spending since it is “…a false choice. New Jersey needs both.” Like Mayor Davis, she’s correct.
Loud NIMBY complaints must not deter this project. It’s vital for the economic sake of New Jersey. Fortunately, the Turnpike Authority leadership understands this and will not be deterred from moving forward.
Greg Lalevee is Business Manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825
Can’t take a single word of any of this seriously when he and his organization benefit from the fat contracts that they’re going to get out of this. They don’t care about air quality or public transit, they’re just trying to line their pockets.
Bozo
this is actually insane lol
“at the same time what must not be disregarded is the significant growth of Jersey City where tens of thousands of commuters now travel to and from on the Turnpike.”
never once do they consider that *people actually live in popular places*, rather than solely drive to them from less popular places.
the bridge should be replaced; it should have been replaced years ago, without all the extra red tape around expanding what is already a huge problem for JC, the NJTP extension viaduct. Bayonne deserves traffic relief and hudson county deserves better commercial logistics. anything beyond the bayonne exit shoud frankly be torn down or buried, allowing the city to build housing to its potential, remove the natural barriers separating the city and welcome NJers who want to actually live somewhere interesting.
Highway construction union guy thinks expanding a highway for $1B per mile is a great idea! News at 10.
If they advance the local traffic logistics within J.C. it would ease traffic coming into the exits. Wider road mean more congestion.
A shill for the union dismissing resident concerns as NIMBYs? And we won’t find reason$ for Jimmy Davis’s support in his ELECs?
Next……
I completely understand the need to replace ageing infrastructure, but there is not a single word here justifying the need to widen a two lane highway through one of the densest parts of the country to a three lane highway when the only place it connects is a two lane tunnel which isn’t getting any wider.
Don’t fall for the Motte-and-bailey fallacy of Greg’s argument.