Second Street Car Goes Up in Flames

Saturday evening at dusk, a car burst into flames on Second Street in downtown Jersey City. The car was located between Erie and Grove Street.

Hoboken Bicyclists Organize

While New York City in recent years has been quite proactively reclaiming space for pedestrians and bicyclists, the same can not be said in Hudson County. That could change thanks to the efforts of Bike Hoboken, a group working to convince city officials to add bicycle lanes throughout Hoboken. They have a plan.

Rail Yard Development Unveiled

The Hoboken rail yards will eventually be a 54 acre mixed use development with high rise towers according to plans released last week. Three quarters of the land falls within Hoboken with the remainder in Jersey City bordering against Newport.

According to The Hudson Reporter, the project will cost as much as $500 million dollars. The masterplan was prepared by architectural firm FXFOWLE.

The NJ Transit rail yards present a major opportunity to physically unite Jersey City and Hoboken. For now, a vast expanse of undeveloped and industrial land exists on the north end of Jersey City with the rail yards a major obstacle between Hoboken and Jersey City. For instance, 700 Grove Street and the Zephyr Lofts, both in Jersey city but North of the rail lines, might as well be in Hoboken; there is no neighborhood to the south, only desolate parking lots and fenced in vacant land.

Developing the rail yard would provide a major opportunity to further transit oriented growth in New Jersey. Already, Hoboken property nearest the terminal is largely built out. Large vacant properties are only available in the western side of the city. Further, the value disparity has become more evident in the recent real estate downturn with eastern properties continuing to sell. In either case, Hoboken's terminal has not been used to maximum effectiveness as a transit center since property to the south and west over the rail yards are not being built out. Building on the rail yards will allow more residents or office workers to commute by more easily accessible trains.

Also to the immediate south of the Hoboken terminal is the northern end of the Newport property in Jersey City. NJ Transit is building a bridge over the a small canal that will connect Jersey City's waterfront to Hoboken at the rail terminal. When completed, the bridge will make Newport properties planned for the Hoboken / Jersey City border more desirable. The north side of the development is more than half a mile from the Pavonia-Newport PATH station, but less than a quarter mile from the Hoboken terminal when traveling over the new bridge.

The 54 acre rail yards are roughly the size of Liberty Harbor North. In that development, nearly 7,000 housing units and nearly a million feet of office space are planned. The final tally over the NJ Transit property may be higher though because Liberty Harbor North contains a significant amount of low and mid-rise buildings.

The rail yards project will certainly change the Hoboken skyline, but it will also make available more housing. But whatever happens, the project is years away from starting, and even further from completion.

Hudson Office Market Strong

The New York Times has a bit on New Jersey office real estate markets; construction on several projects in suburban north Jersey are moving forward. More importantly though, vacancy rates on Hudson coast are down to about 8 percent, and new projects are being planned including another tower in Hoboken.

Part of the continued strength comes from the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Program in effect since January. 9 Cities qualify, including Hoboken and Jersey City. Under the program, office development within a half mile of designated transit hubs qualifies for state tax abatements.

New office towers are expected along the Gold Coast, but not immediately. Harborside Plaza 4 surfaced last year briefly, but before the credit crisis (coincidentally, happy birthday, Credit Crunch!). Newport has no immediate plans for new office towers; several additional residential towers are in various stages of approval there, but no new office towers. Hoboken's Waterfront Corporate Center has a third complex in the works, as noted in the Times. The Journal Square area does have several opportunities, and the hope is the development of the Harwood Towers will eventually bring more development there.

Still, many office development firms continue to insist on constructing suburban office parks, even as gasoline surpasses $4 a gallon. While suburban New Jersey office parks are currently asking a third of mid-town rents, and half of asking rents along the Gold Coast, unless fuel prices drop, employees may be less inclined to transfer into office space inaccessible to mass transit. The true effect of New Jersey's Urban Transit Tax Credit won't be realized for some time; the program has only been in effect for six months.

Port Authority Looks to Sell Freedom

The Port Authority might be looking to sell the Freedom Tower. Even though the PA was able to build two 110 towers back in the 1960's, a single 102 story tower may prove too much for them in 2008. Perhaps its time to rethink trusting these people with the Moynihan Station.

Overheard: New PATH Car Rumors

A train conductor's conversation over the weekend provided a few insights on the mysterious new PATH train cars that should arrive this year. Accordingly, the new cars won't be in service until September at the earliest, and even then, they will undergo a number of test runs through the system before customers actually see the inside of them. The other little tidbit worth noting is that the new cars, unlike the current fleet, will have closed circuit cameras on every car. Big brother is watching you.

About the "Temporary" PATH Station...

Curbed mentions a bit in the Sun about the fate of the World Trade Center PATH station. Last week, the director of the Port Authority resigned. He was closely linked to sex-o-holic Spitzer, and newly minted Governor Paterson supposedly forced him out. Paterson's new choice might take this opportunity to scrap plans to build a new World Trade Center Gateway for the PATH, instead opting to spend the money in Penn Station. Shifting the money to Penn Station is good news for suburbanites, but not so much for urban dwellers relying on the PATH.

In the months after September 11th, the region's transportation agencies painted a rosy picture of the future of downtown transportation. The MTA and Port Authority promised a massive investment and the integration of the subways and PATH trains in a massive Fulton Street hub to rival the other three or four other great transit hubs in the city. The Port Authority and MTA in a seeming competition to outdo the other, promised grand entrances to their respective portions of the station.

Then reality sunk in. The MTA started cutting back on the underground tubes connecting various subway lines. The Port Authority clipped off Calatrava's soaring "wings" of the original station design. Now all that remains of the once grand entranceway to lower Manhattan is a collection of unfinished concrete.

The Port Authority certainly has an obligation to maximize the effectiveness of its financial resources, but let's not forget the agency lost millions of dollars when it failed to deliver the World Trade Center site to developer Larry Silverstein. Meanwhile, someone (here's looking at you Jon) should remind Paterson that the Port Authority is a bi-state agency.

Port Authority Cheats PATH Riders, Again

Once again, the Port Authority has scaled back plans for the Calatrava designed World Trade Center PATH station, once promised as a grand entry point to lower Manhattan. The Times says the new plans will cut corners on the interior spaces, relying more on the temporary station's internal spaces and tracks while using cheaper columns instead of creating broad, open spaces.

Meanwhile, the exterior aesthetics will remain, so claims the Port Authority. Maybe. Twice already, Calatrava's design has been altered, once for security, and the second time for cost, not that much of that matters now anyway. What remains of the Calatrava station is a veneer, the awe inspiring interiors gutted by mismanagement.

At least the Port Authority has money to pay for guys with machine guys to shakedown grandmothers smuggling firecrackers.

Port Authority Tolls Reduce Traffic

Last month's bump in tolls saw a dramatic decline in traffic, according to the Times. The 2.9% drop in traffic was far greater than the expected 2.3% drop, and occurred faster. Thats more than 10,000 fewer vehicles crossing the river.

The toll hike increased the six dollar toll to eight, and eliminated the discount for EZ-Pass users. The statistics come days after New York's failure to approve a congestion pricing plan, which coincidentally, would also have been an eight dollar fee.

PATH Riders Prefer Metro Cards

The Port Authority's SmartCards aren't too popular, according to the Jersey Journal. The discount offered by the cards is simply not enough to entice riders into signing up, and many riders still prefer the universal pay-per-ride Metro Card.

One day in the Utopian future, the SmartCards will be universal on the MTA, NJ Transit, and PATH systems. The Port Authority agreed to sign up for a universal system in 2005, about a year after the MTA began testing the system, though the MTA continues to experiment.

Albany Gifts $350 Million to Flyover States

Politicians in New York State's legislature have killed congestion pricing for New York City, reports the NY Times, Gothamist. By not acting today, Albany has given up New York City's chance at $350 million in federal grants, assuring the money will be distributed elsewhere. Congestion pricing, the $8 fee to enter Manhattan's business districts would have funneled millions of dollars into projects like the Second Avenue subway while simultaneously reducing traffic on Manhattan streets.

Just a Cab Ride Away

The urban renaissance in Hoboken and downtown Jersey City has resulted in oft made comparisons to New York's outer boroughs (If you haven't figured it out by now, New York's Sixth slyly refers to Jersey City / Hoboken as the fabled Sixth Borough). Yet there is one obstacle that separates New Jersey from the Five Boroughs: taxi cabs.

Step into a cab (literally, inside), and the driver must by law whisk you away to any of the five boroughs, Westchester, Nassau, or the area airports. A needle may be easier to find in a haystack than a yellow cab in the outer boroughs, but a driver can't refuse to take you there once you get in. Not so with trips to Hoboken or Jersey City.

Travelers heading to the west bank of the Hudson River can be refused service, and even when cab drivers agree, the charges are discretionary. In some cases, cab drivers charge a flat fee around $50. In other cases, drivers cite a fare of twice the meter plus the tunnel toll. Either way, consumers headed home to New Jersey pay about twice the cab fare as those headed to western Brooklyn or Queens.

In fairness of course, yellow cabs can't pick up passengers in New Jersey, making every mile out of the Holland Tunnel cost them twice as much. But "double meter" fares usually include the entire trip, not just the New Jersey portion. That's a great deal for those hailing a cab from canal street, but not so much when coming from upper Manhattan or an outer borough.

No part of Hoboken or downtown Jersey City is more than 2 miles from the Holland tunnel. Cabs cost $2 per mile making a $50 fare seems more like price gouging than a reasonable assessment. But there is one thing most cab drivers do in New Jersey: fill up on cheap gas. New York gas costs more than gas in New Jersey, largely because of taxes, and the difference can be twenty to thirty cents a gallon.

Either way, Hoboken councilman Ruben Ramos wants all this to change, according to Hoboken Now. He wrote a letter to the commissioner of the taxicab and limousine commission "regarding exorbitant fees for taxi rides from Manhattan to New Jersey municipalities." Not that we disagree with his sentiments, but we don't see the commission doing anything about it.

Council to Address Erie Street Disaster Waiting to Happen

Back in January, we pointed out a rising number of serious traffic accidents on Erie Street. For some reason, cars keep jumping curbs and running down fences and smashing into houses. Last year, the city council tabled an ordinance to install additional stop signs along Erie Street. According to Councilman Fulop, the council has untabled the ordinance. We can only say its long over due.

Signal Failure Exposes Vulnerabilities

Saturday night, for two hours, a catastrophic signal failure suspended all PATH services severing connections between Jersey City and New York. Around nine o'clock, the last train for two hours limped into the Grove Street station a few feet at a time while nervous New Yorkers looked on in horror. For two hours, the Hudson River might as well have been the Berlin Wall.

Many Jersey City bound passengers stuck in New York were sent on a circuitous route on NJ Transit trains, requiring a transfer at Secaucus Junction to Hoboken bound trains before a second transfer to the light rail. Ferry services were not operating.

The signal failure may bolster Mayor Healy's argument in favor of building a Jersey City light rail connection to Secaucus Junction via Sixth Street and the Bergen Arches; such an alternative route would have reduced the total number of transfers required to circumvent PATH services and would have put Journal Square within walking distance of a train line. Still, if such a failure was to occur during a rush hour, the thousands of daily passengers would likely crush alternative services.

The PATH recently celebrated a 100 year anniversary, and the need for modernizing the system is obvious. The Port Authority last year promised to upgrade the PATH signals with a modern system that would allow a 20% increase in peak period trains, but that project will require 7 years to complete.

But even modern systems are not without flaws. For instance, the MTA began upgrading the L lines signals more than a decade ago, and while the line is now perhaps the most efficient in New York's system, the initial launch was not without hiccups, and peak efficiency is still two years away. Another signal fiasco in 2005 threatened to disrupt A C service for years after a fire destroyed signal equipment; that problem was later resolved within months, not years.

Yet while disruptions in MTA trains are inconvenient, the system continues to function. Not so with the PATH as Saturday's signal problems went on to shut down the entire system. Its certainly not a premature notion to suggest the time has come for a new, separate subway line connecting Manhattan and New Jersey. After all, the Second Avenue subway line was first proposed in 1929, and that may not be completed for another twenty years. Not only are thousands of new residences being constructed in Jersey City, but new developments adjacent to the Harrison PATH station will be dependent on the service. Newark's revitalization too will add commuters, as well as proposals in Bayonne, connected to the PATH by the light rail.

Saturday's service disruption was rather benign in contrast to what could have happened at rush hour on a weekday, but it should still serve to remind riders and the Port Authority alike just how vulnerable the system is, and the need for redundancies.

PATH Turns 100

Today marked 100 years of PATH service connecting Manhattan and New Jersey through tubes under the Hudson River. Devised as a service to connect passengers arriving on the banks of the Hudson River with destinations in Manhattan, the original Hudson and Manhattan Railroad linked up with terminus stations of the Lackawanna, Erie and Pennsylvania railroads. In 1962, the Port Authority took over from the H&M Railroad, rechristening the tubes as the PATH system. The NYTimes has some interesting images from the history of the system.

Fares today were free, but the reprieve is short lived with one way trips jumping to $1.75 on March 2. More infuriating though is that Port Authority is now pushing their Smart Card system, a payment method incompatible with the MTA Metrocards. Riders can get free Smart Cards today at the PATH stations, but otherwise will need to pay $5 for the privilege. MTA pay-per-ride Metrocards will continue to work, but Smart Card riders enjoy a greater discount on fares.

Bits & Briefs

Free PATH Rides Monday
The Port Authority will provide free rides on Monday celebrating 100 years of service, strange smells.

Transformer Explodes at Grove Street
A transformer reportedly blew up on Grove Street around 1pm today.

NJ Transit Finally to Break Ground on Waterfront Walkway

Hoboken Now is reporting that NJ Transit will officially break ground on the long overdue connection between Hoboken and Jersey City waterfront. The walkway, a grand park along the Hudson River that one day could theoretically connect Bayonne to the foot of the George Washington Bridge is being built in pieces. Private developers are compelled to build out their section of the walkway when seeking development approvals for construction along the water.

The NJ Transit portion of the walkway would bridge southern Hoboken with Jersey City at Newport. The Lefrak organization has built their portion of the walkway up to the currently under construction Aqua rental tower. The NJ Transit portion of the walkway will lead to no where until the Lefrak organization completes about a thousand feet of walkway in the northern quadrant. While the northern quadrant may not be built out for several years, the Lefraks have pledged to connect the existing walkway with NJ Transit's portion ahead of the planned high rises.

NJ Transit's portion of the walkway is seen as a critical link. The property, owned by NJ Transit could easily have been overlooked by an agency more concerned with operating buses and trains than building parks.

At present, there are a few holes in the walkway. At second street, construction of Crystal Pointe has temporarily closed a previously finished section of the walkway. The walkway continues through Exchange Place to Veteran's Park where a short segment of Essex Street is also disconnected. The walkway then continues south from the Morris Canal Park up to the under construction Liberty Harbor North.

NY Times Rides PATH Train In Alternate Universe

The New York Times took a ride on the PATH in an effort to document area commutes. However, in the New York Time's alternate universe, NJTransit Trains can bring suburban commuters right to Journal Square:

"Now, instead of taking New Jersey Transit’s crowded Northeast Corridor train from Edison and then transferring to the subway, Ms. Harrington takes a different New Jersey Transit train to the PATH station at Journal Square in Jersey City"

Next week, the Times plans on taking the G Train to Manhattan.

Campaign Launched to Prevent PATH Fare Hike

Hoboken councilman Pete Cammarano wants to prevent the Port Authority from hitting PATH riders with a proposed fare increase and has launched StopThePathHike.com to coordinate a grass roots effort to keep fares as they are. New Jersey has a 50% stake in the Port Authority, which gives Governor Corzine, a Hoboken resident, veto power. Of course, we suspect Corzine doesn't ride the PATH very often, so if you want your voice to be heard, be sure to Sign the Petition.

New Embankment Plan Promises Compromise, 1,000 Units

Long a rallying cry for preservationists in the downtown, the Sixth Street Embankment has been the focus of a legal fight since developer Steve Hyman set his eye on the site. Advocates looking to save historic Jersey City have been fighting to preserve the structure and convert it to a park; others want the structure removed, and the land converted to open space, and then of course Hyman wants to build residential apartments on the property, and lets not forget Mayor Healy's plan to restore rail service-- adding a light rail line from Newport to Secaucus.

Complicating the issue is the land's status as former railroad right away. The federal government regulates railroads and right aways cannot simply be sold. A recent federal ruling declared the original sale to Hyman invalid, but that does not entirely prevent a future sale. Preservation activists want the city to buy the land or seize it through eminent domain. Either method would incur huge expenses for the city.

Mayor Healy last year announced his intentions to pursue a plan to build a light rail connection from the waterfront to the Secaucus transfer station. The line would improve transportation alternatives for many parts of Jersey City. Parts of Hamilton Park and western portions of the downtown are more than a half mile from a train station and Healy's proposed route through the arches could also allow access to residents along 139. The line would also provide another alternative route between NJ Transit trains and the Hudson waterfront; now commuter rail connects via the PATH at Newark Penn or heavy rail to Hoboken. NJTransit's stance is that they have no plans to build this spur.

Original plans by the developer sought to remove the embankment entirely and build low rise town homes along the entire length of the embankment from Marin Blvd to Brunswick. Immediately this plan faced opposition with critics citing density, lack of preservation, and general outrage at proposed changes. Activists sought to landmark the embankment, and the follow up plan included simply building the town homes on top of the wall.

Now the Jersey Journal is reporting a new plan being put forth by Hyman as a compromise. In essence, the new plan leverages activists' desire for preserving the embankment for higher density zoning. The new plan calls for a total of five buildings with 1,100 units of housing. Four of the buildings would be erected atop the embankment and a fifth on the block west of Brunswick Street. Yet three quarters of the embankment would end up as open space, and for Healy, Hyman including plans to connect a light rail line to Journal Square.

Local activists have already declared the new plan unacceptable, which means in all likelihood, the only definite is plenty more litigation.

Hoboken Traffic Cameras May Violate Laws

NJ.com Blog Hoboken Now is reporting the recently approved traffic light cameras for Hoboken's Washington Street intersections may run afoul of state laws. The red light cameras cost the city $75K and while safety is the concern, Hoboken law makers perhaps should have done some research: after installation of red light cameras in Lubbock, Texas, occurrences of accidents increased. So much for public safety.

Port Authority Set to Raise PATH Fares

The Journal reports Port Authority officials are considering a fare hike as high as 50 cents for the PATH-- to be announced after Tuesday's legislative election. Officials at the bi-state agency are considering hikes from 25 to 50 cents, with the latter increase bringing the current $1.50 fare up to the same price as riding New York's larger, more convenient subway system.

It should come as no surprise the bi-state agency is looking to hike fares-- after all, the Port Authority is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on construction at the World Trade Center site. That's in New York, of course, even though half of the Port Authority is New Jersey's. While PATH riders might be gaining a fancy new station at Ground Zero-- which by the way, has seen its original design scaled down to cut costs-- PATH riders also are enduring service delays and interruptions while the agency rebuilds at the site. The unbearable weekend and late night schedules are in part due to "on going construction at the World Trade Center site."

In fairness, the Port Authority did announce last week a plan to upgrade the PATH signal system, which would boost peak capacity by about 10,000 riders-- sometime in 2014. Yet this is unlikely to satiate demand for rush hour services. Not only in Jersey City is residential construction still booming, but Harrison Commons, adjacent to the Harrison PATH Station broke ground two weeks ago on the first of 3,000 housing units. Plans for an additional 3,000 units in downtown Newark, blocks from the PATH at Penn Station, will only compound the issue. Meanwhile, in Jersey City alone, over the next seven years as the Port Authority takes their time upgrading the signal system, new development would likely see the realization of up to 10,000 units of approved and proposed housing.

Fare hikes can still be vetoed by either the governor of New York or New Jersey-- but somehow we doubt Corzine, even though he ostensibly lives in Hoboken, won't think too much of a 50 cent hike in PATH fares.

PATH to Boost Capacity by 20%, Or Roughly Not Nearly Enough to Meet Demand

The Port Authority announced by press release a $500 Million upgrade to the 40 year old signal system which promises to increase the number of peak trains. Along with new cars being phased in starting next year, the upgrade would improve capacity above the 50,000 passengers per hour at current peak levels. Even without delays to construction, relief is still seven years away.

Jersey City Is The New London: Nanny State To Share Closed Circuit TV Cameras

If you've ever had the feeling like you're being watched, chances are you have, by closed circuit television systems. Jersey City is now working with NJ Transit to share access to cameras along the light rail line, according to the Jersey Journal. Oh, and just in case you think more CCTV make you safer, think again. London, the most watched city in the world, has recently discovered that higher density CCTV cameras don't necessarily correlate to lower crime rates. Here's looking at you kid.

Times Gives Grove Pointe, Columbus Plaza Reach Around

Sunday's times has a bit on the developers of Grove Pointe and Columbus Tower, both of which opened their rental units in the past few weeks. It seems Grove Pointe is asking for higher rents, with studios starting at $1800-- at Columbus they start at $1600.

Mayor Healy "But our entire city is a mass-transit utopia...it is much easier to get to Manhattan from here than from any of the four boroughs — and that is the most important reason why we are a successful city." Sure, but with 1,000 new apartments opening this month and another 5,000 on the way we have to wonder how often Healy rides the PATH at Rush Hour.

Construction Disrupts Light Rail Weekend Service

Light rail service between Newport and Harsimus Cove will be suspended on weekends until the middle of October, reports the Jersey Journal. This is most likely connected with construction on the Westin Hotel Tower on the corner of Washington and Sixth Street, though not confirmed.

NJ Transit to Build Bridge to Newport

A lynchpin component of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway will be built by NJ Transit, reports Hoboken411. The bridge will connect Newport and Hoboken sometime in the Spring of 2009, with the Lefrak Organization building a temporary extension between the bridge and permanent walkway.

MTA Launches Interstate Bus Service

Staten Islanders now have an MTA provided link to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line via the Bayonne Bridge, reports SILive.com. The route replaces a similar one operated by Coach USA. The bus line is the MTA's first interstate service. We think in principle this is a step in the right direction-- after all, we're proponents of extending the future Second Avenue subway line to Staten Island's defunct North Shore Line via Jersey City and Bayonne, a route essentially mirrored by the combination bus, light rail, and PATH connections. Time will tell if ridership reaches the hoped for 1,200 per day.

Bits & Briefs

Where the Money Goes
Derek Beres encounters occupying troops in the PATH station. Oh, wait, those guys are here to protect us. $2.4M more is not being spent on rail improvements, but instead on super troopers to protect us. [via JCBaby]

Maxwell Place
Hoboken411 has a bit on the Toll Brothers park going in as part of Hoboken's agreement allowing Maxwell place.

Hoboken plan goes back to plan board, judge rules
The Journal reports of a minor set back for a high density southwest side of Hoboken.

Bits & Briefs

$106M vote of confidence for Downtown
The Journal reports that 30 and 2 Montgomery Street have sold for $106 Million dollars and will be replaced with a massive office, retail, and residential complex similar in scope to the Time Warner Center. (via Wired Forum)

30 Montgomery Street(right side of below photo), a 15 Story tower built in the early 1970s houses professional and city offices. 2 Montgomery Street (left) is across the street from the Exchange Place light rail station and a half block from the PATH.



Agency Might Replace Bridge and Tunnel Tollbooths With Cashless System
The Times reports that the Port Authority may switch their toll collection system to all EZPass. Such a move should reduce Holland Tunnel Congestion that blocks north-south traffic between Jersey City and Hoboken as well as allow an easier transition to congestion pricing.

Bits & Briefs

Comfort food, Middle Eastern style
The Journal reviews Paulus Hook eatery 2 Aprons.

Light Rail Work Set
Service interruptions on the Light Rail this weekend.

Bits & Briefs

Tastes Like Turkey
The Village Voice crosses the Hudson River to discover Its Greek To Me; dozens of other restaurants consider serving gyros.

Newport Plans On Agenda
Newport is formally seeking final approval for the Ellipse tower and the Lefrak Museum, which is absolutely not going to be called the Lefrak Museum.

Collision stalls Hoboken light rail
A truck ran a red light and struck a light rail train.

Cab Drivers Buy City Council

The Journal is reporting that the Hoboken city Council has gone ahead and voted to ban pedicabs before they even have a chance to carry their first passenger. Taxi cab operators have been protesting for weeks that the pedal powered carts would be real competition with their gas powered pedestrian killers, and since we absolutely don't want to encourage a competitive market, the city of Hoboken will ban the pedicabs until they can figure out a way to balance the budget through pedicab licensing fees.

Jersey City as well as a number of shore towns were also intended to get pedicab service. The Hoboken ban could mean that Jersey City will get pedicabs sooner, or on the other hand the whole prospect of bringing eco-friendly transportation to Hudson County is over.

Bits & Briefs

Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood
The Powerhouse Arts District Neighborhood Association has launched a website. Name calling, petty bickering, stalking charges to follow. Oh, wait, that's Newport.

Hoboken Hero
A new blog from the northwest corner of Hoboken was launched with all sorts of construction-porn goodness including the new Metro-stop building

Safest Drivers In N.Y.C., Jersey City, Yonkers
Don't expect an auto insurance discount anytime soon, but apparently we rank among the safest drivers in the nation.

Frustrated Bus Rider Makes Map

We don't often take the bus, and we really don't many people who do. But apparently there are a few of you out there, like the one frustrated rider who wanted a map of Hudson County buses. But since NJTransit seems to have a map aversion, he had to create his own, thus, JerseyMap.org was born. As we said, we don't often take the bus, so we have no way of knowing if its accurate, but it sure looks professional.

Pedicabs Take Hoboken, Jersey City Could Be Next

The Journal is reporting that Hoboken's fleet of pedicabs is set to take to the streets on April 21, and the owners of the vehicles hope to eventually expand the service to Jersey City. Operators of gas fueled cabs are obviously upset that the pedicabs don't require anything more than a business license to operate fearing the pedicabs could cut into profit margins. Perhaps now the local cabbies will keep those meters running the next time they cross a municipal border rather than rolling a set of dice to determine a fare. In either case, tip your pedicab operators generously because those athletic folks don't take a salary.

Bits & Briefs

More use Light Rail
The Journal reports ridership is up more than 50% between 2006 and 2007.

Social Sports League Deadline Approaches
ZogSports runs a social sports league for anyone who likes balls flying at their face. Sounds like any typical Friday night in Hoboken, but this one is an organized dodgeball league, with flag football in Jersey City. Oh, and there is something about benefiting charity too.

Bits & Briefs

La Rustique Bakeria
Slice.com gives La Rustique in Jersey City a glowing review.

PATH Train derails in New Jersey
Twice in one week? Sounds like the Port Authority has a track problem.

Phony bloggers who do not excite.
Tris McCall calls out shitty marketing website destinationjerseycity.com for being a shitty marketing website.

Bits & Briefs

Yellow Cabs Turning Green
At this year's New York International Automobile Show, the iconic yellow cab will be getting a green makeover. Showcased at the event will be a number of potential variants for the next generation taxi with emphasis on alternative fuels.

Hamilton Park's makeover: More active or passive?
Hamilton Park will soon have a long overdue refurbishment. Engineering firm Schoor DePalma presented three possible alternatives. Ball playing still prohibited.

R2D2 Mailboxes
Hobhoke411 reports that first of the Star Wars themed mailboxes began popping up in Hoboken, with photo goodness.

Uncivil Servants

The New York Times has pointed us to a new community website, Uncivil Servants that posts photos of illegally parked cars. The vehicles in question usually are taking advantage of city issued parking permits that are ostensibly issued for specific civic duties, but which appear to be used as one of those "benefits" doled out to government officials.

While Uncivil Servants is concentrating on New York and its official boroughs, the problem exists on our side of the river too. A JCLister has posted a few pictures of a police officer stationed in the BJ's parking lot prepared to write citations for folks making an illegal right hand turn, but turning a blind eye to the construction crew vehicles parked the wrong way on the one way street. Meanwhile, Hoboken411 captured similar incidents of official vehicles illegally parking on street corners. Oh, and let's not forget the Port Authority vehicles parking on the sidewalks along Jersey Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets-- forcing pedestrians to navigate between the curb and fast moving cars and trucks.

Its probably time that civil servants began respecting the laws they expect everyone else to follow. Until then though, there is always the internet to shame them.

Jersey Avenue Connector Raises Ire of Local Residents

The city has proposed an extension of Jersey Avenue, connecting the street to Philip Road in Liberty State park over the Morris Canal. Currently, the street terminates at the canal near the Liberty Harbor North Development.

Proponents of the plan cite the need for better vehicle access to the downtown, while community activists refuse to allow more vehicles into their local neighborhoods. Part of the problem stems from the fact that at present, many vehicles cut through the less affluent Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood and circumvent the gentrified Van Vorst Park area.

Other suggestions for alleviating traffic congestion have included flyover ramps for Merseles Street and Center Street eliminating the traffic signal at Montgomery Street and shift more traffic down Christopher Columbus Drive. This is of course in addition to the traffic that already has been shunted onto Columbus Drive after the realignment of the Turnpike ramp two years ago.

According to the Jersey Journal, city officials will reveal plans on April 26th, at which time they ignore public input and do as they damn well please.

Bits & Briefs

Kvetching about condos
As Toll Brothers push forward with plans to build towers on the Manischevitz factory site, activists want to be part of the dialogue. Half the Manischevitz property is outside the PAD, and recent variances for 111 First Street might set a precedent that allows Toll to go higher.

Housing Market Heats Up
Apparently the housing crash is over, at least in the metro region. Bidding wars are back just in time for the spring collections.

Trump's local apprentice
Architect Dean Geibel is interviewed regarding the Trump Tower. Rumors of the demise of the second tower are greatly exaggerated; Geibel says the abatement payment to the city has been made, and at a cool $1.6 million, you can bet they're going to be building the other tower.

New construction coming to train terminal area
Hoboken's rail yards might not be getting as much attention as those in Brooklyn or the west side of Manhattan, but developers could soon be dreaming just as big. Hoboken's council has approved a planning board study calling for the redevelopment of the yards. Half the yards of course are in Jersey City, north of the Newport redevelopment property.

PATH To Offer Service Alerts By Email

The Port Authority is now offering electronic service alerts by email so all you fancy folks with blackberries will know when not to take the PATH. Users can sign up here and select advisories for specific trains and time schedules.

Via Jersey Journal

Map Service Provides Subway, PATH Routing, Time Estimates

A little service called GypsyMaps has mashed together MTA and PATH subway maps to produce an all inclusive regional transportation trip planner. Even better, the service estimates walking times between stations, and accounts for the time of day when coming up with a trip duration estimate. We wanted to make a joke about Staten Island here, but even they have been included by way of the ferry.

Unlike previous services we've seen, GypsyMaps seems to understand how people actually ride mass transit. For instance, we tested out the service with a few addresses, one from Jersey City to a random street in Staten Island. Other services we've seen would have sent us through 34th Street with stops in Queens and Albany, but GypsyMaps gets things right. Not that anyone would want to go to Staten Island (oh, and there it is), but just in case you do, the service can tell you how.

Via Curbed

Interactive PATH Timetable

Wondering when the next PATH train is scheduled to depart from the local station? Wonder no more with the interactive schedule online at NYNJ.net. We aren't certain how accurate this whole thing is, but wouldn't it be great to think that it was. Common sense would lead us to believe the Port Authority would figure out a system like this, but that assumes the folks who work at the Port Authority had any common sense.

Via JCList

City Surprised to Learn Cars Come From Neighborhoods With Few Subways

The New York Times is reporting that a "surprising" number of cars pour into the city from the five boroughs, clogging roads. As the city considers proposals for "congestion pricing" (read: higher tolls), this sort of data is important.

Indeed half the vehicles coming into New York City (for the purpose of the study, the business districts below 60th street) are coming from the five boroughs. But consider this; the five boroughs include Staten Island, which has no subway access, and the outer reaches of Brooklyn and Queens where the MTA service makes the PATH look like the eighth wonder of the modern world. In addition, Bergen County produces a huge number of vehicles, and with two million people, is the most populous county in New Jersey, yet the county lacks a direct train connection to Manhattan.

In either case, all this effects Hudson County quite a bit. Any efforts at reducing traffic headed for the city will obviously include slowing the onslaught of vehicles aiming for the Holland Tunnel, either through higher tolls or High Occupancy Vehicle requirements. Such restrictions will be putting more commuters on the PATH, Light Rail, and Ferries leaving from downtown Jersey City and Hoboken.

World Trade Reconstruction

A large part of Jersey City's redevelopment success over the last few years is obviously due to its proximity to Manhattan, in particular, lower Manhattan and the World Trade Center site. With a PATH Station literally in the center of ground zero, what is ultimately built or not built there will significantly effect the thousands of Jersey City commuters who use the station and work in lower Manhattan. And the millions of square feet of office space will probably also change the Jersey City commercial office space market too.

In either case, believe it or not, the Port Authority seems to have a very good website explaining the future layout and the plans to connect the PATH with Fulton street. It even includes a map, which as you may know, really gets us off. Anyway, plenty of this is still unresolved, but for now at least, this seems to be the plan.

PATH, Subway Station at World Trade Center to be Pretty, Fuctional

The fight over what would happen between the MTA and PATH stations in lower Manhattan has been on going for four or five years. The New York Times is reporting that riders should expect both, as a compromise has been reached, with mostly the MTA shelling out some money to gussy up the Fulton Street station.

Secret Hoboken Street Parking Revealed

The folks over at Hoboken411 may have discovered a bit of free parking, for now at least. Rumor has it that the 11th Street extension next to Maxwell Place is a free-for-all until zone stickers go up in March.

Park At Grove Street PATH Opens, Sort Of

The long closed "park" at the corner of Christopher Columbus and Grove Street opened today, sort of. The park is quite obviously not finished, and not too obviously a park yet either. The developers of Grove Pointe agreed to rebuild the park while constructing the tower.



Astute observers may be asking themselves what exactly was changed. All the old brick and concrete were replaced with new brick and concrete. The big twist though is instead of squared off corners, the new park features a curved bench like wall. And as for the brick, the park now has red pavers (below) instead of the bluish gray that was once there. The crazy homeless guy who lives in the park was unavailable for comment.



As usual, larger photos here

Yes, Virginia, The PATH Smells Like Shit

Curbed asks the all important question: just what the hell is that smell down in the PATH?

Duffle Bag Watch: Day 189

So maybe you've forgotten that for the last six months, PATH riders' civil rights have been violated on a daily basis. After the first few weeks it seems the main stream media has forgotten all about the random bag searches. And despite the intial excitement over finding a kid with firecrackers, so far to date, we recall a grand total of zero terrorists have been caught by random bag searching. That's 189 days, and zero bombs. On day three of the Duffle Bag Watch, 1,100 bags were searched. Assuming they kept this pace, over 200,000 bags have been searched.

Meanwhile, we came across a blogger who has been searched four times.

PATH To Keep Manhattan Moving During MTA Strike

The MTA strike is in full swing today leaving millions of commuters stranded. The Holland tunnel is operating on an HOV restriction of 4 passenger minimums until 11am, and later today may be converted to execlusively outbound traffic depending on traffic situations in Manhattan. Meanwhile PATH trains are still running on time.

Special PATH Train Service:
33rd Street to World Trade via Pavonia / Newport
Every 7 Minutes until 8pm

MTA Strike Closer To Reality

With a little more than 12 hours to go before New York City is shutdown by a possible transit strike, it seems the MTA is no closer to resolving the issue with the union that represents bus and subway drivers. City government seems fairly determined to work around a strike if the union fails to give into demands. Part of the plan includes running additional PATH trains from 33rd street to the World Trade center via Jersey City's Newport station. In addition, Holland tunnel traffic will be restricted to high occupancy vehicles.

For Hudson County residents, an MTA strike will mean heavy demand for parking spaces near PATH and light rail stops. Of course, it will also likely be a boon for Hoboke and Jersey City's parking authority once the lots are filled and commuters resort to defying the cities' restricted parking zones. On the other hand, with many fewer cars coming through the Holland Tunnel, getting around the area might be easier.

Meanwhile, the MTA has truly made their own bed. This year they have a project $1 billion suprplus and expect a surplus next year. Additionally, the MTA has already declared they will insist on raising fares next year. And to top all this off, the MTA has been giving weekend riders -- tourists mostly -- a fifty percent discount on ticket prices. The money is quite obviously there and the union no doubt sees an opportunity to get a little more for their workers, and rightfully so considering how dependant we all are on their services.

While most reports suggest that the big area of contention is the amount of a pay raise-- the MTA wants 3% and the union 8%-- and retirement ages-- the union wants to lower the age to 50 and the MTA wants to raise the age to 62-- the deeper issue might actually be technology. Over the last decade the MTA has been installing and preparing automated transit lines such as the L train. Over the next few years, the MTA is planning on installing new rail cars where computers will announce stops and as the automated system expands, drive themselves as well. Recent experiments with running trains with reduced staff have lead to outcrys from the Union and we suspect this might also be an issue. In either case, we think the MTA will be hardpressed to deny pay raises to the union that literally keeps New York moving.

Regardless, Hudson County residents should be aware that if MTA workers strike, PATH trains will be exceptionally busy.

MTA Strike Could Cause Parking Nighmare for Jersey City

With MTA workers threatening to strike, it seems officials are looking to restrict the number of cars on inbound city tunnels. One plan includes limiting access to cars with four or more drivers. Just in case you've never tried to carpool with even a single passenger, we'll tell you its not so easy to find people willing to share a car with you. So no doubt many of these distressed motorists will be packing into parking lots and garages throughout Jersey City when they get to the tunnel entrance and realize they'll be turned away.

Oh, and never you mind that the MTA has done its best over the last few months to inconvience riders entering New York through the WTC. PATH is still coming to the rescue. That's right, a special PATH train shuttle will be running between 33rd street and the WTC in the event of a strike, so while the MTA never hesitates to give a bit of the old FU to PATH riders, it seems PATH will be the only way to go downtown if there is a strike.

Light Rail Credited With Mini Real Estate Boom

Amid rumors of living in a real estate bubble, the Hudson Bergen Light Rail is being credited with further inflating property values along its route. Hoboken's seedy underbelly below the Palisades has been cited as an example of how the rail line is bringing revital