The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) released an updated report on the planned New York City Central Business District (CBD) tolling program. The proposed toll rates are separated by E-ZPass and Toll by Mail customers, peak and off-peak hours, and the type of vehicle entering the zone. E-ZPass holders entering the zone between the "peak hours" of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on the weekends will be charged $15 for most passenger cars, pickups, and vans. Trucks and buses will pay between $24-$36 and motorcycles will pay $7.50. During off-peak hours, rates will be reduced by 75% for all vehicles. For E-ZPass commuters who enter the CBD using the Lincoln Tunnel or Holland Tunnel, the once per day toll will be $10 for passenger vehicles, $12-16 for trucks and buses, and $5 for motorcycles. Using January 7, 2024 rates from the Port Authority, it will cost a passenger vehicle $25.38 to enter Manhattan using the Lincoln Tunnel during peak hours when congestion pricing goes into effect. The MTA Bridge and Tunnel Authority is currently accepting public comment on the proposed toll rates through March 11, 2024. Visit the NYC CBD Tolling website for more info.
In collaboration with Stantec and FHI Studio, the Monmouth Paths: Access for All study team has released an interactive map which allows local residents and visitors to provide input on their transportation experiences throughout Monmouth County. This public application allows residents to share their specific travel needs, which will assist in developing recommendations for improving transportation policies, access, and infrastructure. The tool is an effective way for residents to accurately label how and where they are experiencing mobility issues. The more who participate and provide information through the tool, the better study will apply to our local communities and environment. The study team will hold a virtual public meeting tonight February 12 over Zoom. Contact Monmouth County for additional information and ways to get involved. Click here to visit the study website.
A moment that many Tri-State commuters have been eagerly anticipating took place on November 30, 2023, when the U.S. Department of Transportation broke ground with state officials on the Hudson Tunnel Project. The first step will be to construct a road bridge that will carry traffic on Routes 1 and 9 over the mouth of the new tunnel project. The new Hudson tunnel has been making progress as New Jersey aims to boost the connectivity of the Northeast Corridor. Funding for the project has been years in the making after the then called "Access to the Regions Core" (ARC) project was shut down by Governor Chris Christie in 2010. Funding for the project will come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021. This project aims to "improve reliability, resiliency, and redundancy" for thousands of Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT passengers who depend on rail transit every day. Additionally, these ridership demands may increase once NYC implements its Congestion Tolling program in Spring 2024. This new tunnel will create an additional entry point to Manhattan and will improve the existing capacity for rail transit from Monmouth County to the New York City area.
In October of 2023, South Amboy celebrated the opening of its ferry service to New York City. A shuttle will provide service to and from surrounding areas of South Amboy, Parlin, and Sayreville, as well as for customers in Manhattan. Morning shuttle service will run between 4:40 a.m. - 8:35 a.m. and afternoon service will operate from 4:25 p.m. to 8:25 p.m., with the first boat leaving South Amboy at 5:45 a.m. The ferry will dock at 100 Radford Ferry Road just around the corner from the South Amboy train station. A temporary trailer has been set up to sell ferry tickets and funding has been secured to build a floating dock for the ferry terminal. Funding through the Federal Transit Administration Passenger Ferry Grant Program includes nearly $7 million to NJ TRANSIT on behalf of NY Waterway to convert two diesel powered engines to battery powered and supplemental charging equipment with the aim to reach a 100% hybrid fleet in the next decade. An additional $6 million was made available to the City of South Amboy for completion of the floating dock and other upgrades to the ferry port. “It’s great to see South Amboy receive more federal funding to support the city’s new passenger ferry. The floating dock system will make the ferry more accessible to passengers and bolster the dock’s resilience against fluctuating tides and flooding events,” said U.S. Representative Frank Pallone. This new service will provide an additional option for Monmouth County residents to get to New York City.
Port Newark is one of the busiest ports in the Northeast, and NJ residents are all too familiar dealing with the large volume of tractor trailers in the area. According to the Port Authority of NY/NJ (PANYNJ), this traffic can be attributed to road geometry. The turning radius of an 18-wheeler is much larger than a regular car which requires adequate space to make turns. This can be exceedingly difficult when hauling tons of cargo in a high-volume area where the road infrastructure was built 70 years ago. The result of slow turns creates a ripple effect, causing drivers to brake quickly which forces the vehicle behind them to also come to sudden stops. This action repeats itself until traffic is permanently stopped from the action of a truck making a tight turn. The PANYNJ plans to invest $176 million over the next 10 years to improve intersections, interchanges, and to reconstruct certain roadways. These changes aim to reduce crashes and injuries by 37%. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has added $450 million in funding over the next 5 years for federal ports across the country to improve the flow of goods from container ships to trucks and trains in order to reduce impacts to traffic flow in high-volume areas.
Do You Have an Interesting Transportation Photo Taken Around Monmouth County?
Monmouth County is currently accepting photo submissions for use and credit in public-facing items like the Monmouth County At-a-Glance, regional studies, and other uses in the future. If you have a picture of an interesting transportation feature in the County and you want the opportunity to have the picture in a county project, submit here.
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