Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH CONIGLIO
District 38 (Bergen)
Senator PAUL A. SARLO
District 36 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Weinberg
SYNOPSIS
Expresses support for various public transportation projects serving Bergen County.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution expressing support for various public transportation projects serving Bergen County.
Whereas, The northern region of State of New Jersey is highly populous with Bergen County having the largest population of any county in this State, with an estimated 900,000 residents currently to over one million residents projected within the next 20 years; and
Whereas, As a result of its large population and proximity to Manhattan, many Bergen County residents encounter serious traffic congestion, costing residents in time, wages, and fuel; and
Whereas, The State of New Jersey and the New Jersey Transit Corporation, in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and with the support of the federal government, are committed to building the Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel, a new passenger rail connection that will benefit the Statewide transit system and expand rail capacity in the New York-New Jersey region; and
Whereas, Another New Jersey Transit initiative, the Northern Branch Passenger Rail restoration project, is also designed to benefit the State in bringing reliable and economical passenger rail service to communities in eastern Bergen County by providing access to the New Jersey waterfront via the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line and by providing direct service to Manhattan through a connection to the Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel: and
Whereas, Commuters using the Northern Branch will also be better served by the implementation of new technologies of diesel- multiple-unit vehicles and dual powered locomotion that will be able to make use of the new Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel to provide one-seat ride service to Manhattan; and
Whereas, The implementation of diesel-multiple-unit vehicles and dual powered locomotion as well as the completion of the Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel and its connection to the Northern Branch will provide a long overdue public transportation solution for Bergen County's growing demand for transportation services; and
Whereas, The State of New Jersey has committed $500 million in the New Jersey Transit capital program to fund the Trans-Hudson-Express (THE) Tunnel project, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has committed up to $2 billion, and the Federal Transit Administration has announced that it will approve preliminary engineering for the Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel project; and
Whereas, Northern Branch service that offers one-seat ride service to Manhattan utilizing the Trans-Hudson-Express (THE) Tunnel is supported by the Bergen County Executive and Board of Freeholders, as well as the Bergen County Department of Planning and Economic Development; and
Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper for this House to express its support of these various public transportation projects serving Bergen County, which will benefit the residents of that area as well as the entire State of New Jersey; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House expresses its support of the various public transportation projects in Bergen County, namely, the Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel, the Northern Branch Passenger Rail restoration project, and the implementation of new technologies of diesel-multiple-unit vehicles and dual powered locomotion in providing passenger rail service.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested to by the Secretary of the Senate, shall be transmitted to the Governor, the New Jersey Transit Corporation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Federal Transit Administration.
STATEMENT
This Senate resolution expresses support for various public transportation projects in Bergen County, namely, the Trans-Hudson Express (THE) Tunnel, the Northern Branch Passenger Rail restoration project, and the implementation of new technologies of diesel-multiple-unit vehicles and dual powered locomotion in providing passenger rail service.