newjerseynewsroom.com

Sen. Pennancchio asks non-partisan OLS to examine regional rail plans

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

New Jersey Future, a Trenton-based research and policy group that advocates for smart growth and planning, Tuesday came out in opposition to the possibility that the Christie administration may use $2.2 billion initially earmarked for the new Hudson commuter rail tunnel to finance the state Transportation Trust Fund.

NJ Transit Director James Weinstein on Monday told the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee that transferring the money was under consideration as a means to finance the fund for repairing highways and bridges but stressed nothing has been finalized.

Gov. Chris Christie on Sept. 10 halted work on the tunnel in Hudson County for 30 days while NJ Transit and the Federal Transit Administration review the potential cost of the project to New Jersey.

The tunnel was initially pegged to cost $8.7 billion in state, federal and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey funds. However, officials are not looking at the possibility of a cost overrun of as much as $5 billion.

Commenting on the potential transfer of the $2.2 billion, New Jersey Future Director Peter Kasabach said, "Such an action would not only jeopardize the most important infrastructure project in New Jersey in generations; it would be another in a long line of short-term band-aids for the Trust Fund, one that will diminish New Jersey's ability to maintain and improve our vital transportation infrastructure.''

Kasabach added, "It's time that we recognize the key role our transportation system plays in bringing prosperity to our state and commit to both funding the ARC (Hudson) tunnel and providing a long-term, sustainable funding source for the Transportation Trust Fund.''

Meanwhile, state Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris), a member of the upper house's Budget and appropriations Committee, on Tuesday asked the non-partisan state Office of Legislative Services to review how national efforts of regionalizing rail services could apply to New Jersey and New York rail lines.

Pennancchio said he wants to make sure that NJ Transit and the Christie administration utilizes every avenue of efficiency and cost savings prior to continuing work on the so-called ARC Tunnel.

"AMTRAK (the national rail system) has recently announced the construction of an additional rail tunnel under the Hudson," Pennacchio said. "Who is coordinating the rail transportation efforts? It makes no sense to have two redundant tunnels one built by ARC and another built by AMTRAK. It is quite possible, even probable that turf battles with different bureaucracies running the rail lines, AMTRAK, LIRR, PATH and New Jersey Transit contribute to inefficiencies and redundant services ramping up the high cost of rail transportation.

"It only takes a little common sense to realize that consolidating our rail concerns to regional entity similar to the cooperation that exists at the southern end of the state would save the state, taxpayers and commuters time and money," Pennacchio said. "It doesn't make sense to build additional rail infrastructure while these competing lines aren't using existing platforms, lines and tunnels as efficiently as possible."

Pennacchio criticized New Jersey Democratic U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez for expressing their support for continued work on the tunnel.

"It appears that our senators are more concerned with preserving the disorganized status quo,'' Pennacchio sad. "They should be fighting for the best interests of New Jersey citizens, not an inefficient rail tunnel to Macy's basement."