pm_me_CupNoodles t1_iybjz4i wrote on November 30, 2022 at 4:14 AM

Reply to comment by Nexis4Jersey in Alternative uses for the $10.7bn turnpike widening fund by mevinkurphy75

Yeah, if NJ Transit were ambitious, they’d build a Vancouver SkyTrain-like line at JFK Blvd, but I can only see them planning a bus rapid transit route. The street is wide enough to make dedicated bus lanes, perhaps make it so it’s easy to convert it to light rail in the future.

Nexis4Jersey t1_iybnn1j wrote on November 30, 2022 at 4:47 AM

I think the PA should be the operator...and I doubt will ever see BRT converted to light Rail...it has to be Light rail from the start...otherwise they don't do it...no matter how overcrowded things get look at the MTA SBS outer boro routes...

dualOWLS t1_iydxtkd wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:05 PM

PATH does not have the jurisdiction to build or operate one, and anyways they lose (lots of) money on the train they do have. I don't think they'd want to build another.

NJT however does have the jurisdiction and runs a public service. As far as I'm aware the county owned JFK boulevard would never host a SkyTrain and I think Brian stack hates NJT anyways.

Frankly the Palisades would be a good place for tunnel boring and a true subway, I'll give PATH the technical edge here but a light rail could just as easily operate as a subway like it does in Seattle and many places abroad. Whoever does it, I don't care. I'd rather have it than not.

But jurisdiction wise I would prefer NJT own and operate all rail in and out of NJ, including PATH (the train should probably just be MTA) and PATCO. Really there should be one agency in charge of Pennsylvania, NJ and NYC and subways/heavy rail should be expanded in all of these places. One can dream!

Nexis4Jersey t1_iydyagq wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:08 PM

The PA built the JFK Airtrain which would be very similar to the design of a elevated light metro...

dualOWLS t1_iydzfdz wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:16 PM

And they are building a Newark airport extension, we're still talking about to and from or even near areas they own. NJ owns the old ROW and PATH would have NYC to convince to spend money on buying property in NJ, and then building NJ only projects that they would then lose money on.

Nexis4Jersey t1_iydzvbi wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:19 PM

PA has no issue spending big on projects on either side of the hudson look at the Airport expansions , expansions done at the Ports...and the Freight rail network feeding into them...so I doubt they'll run into opposition over that for a path extension in Hudson County.. Amtrak owns the ROW to EWR and conflicts with some NEC upgrade plans..

dualOWLS t1_iye0msp wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:23 PM

These are things they make money on. They are not building out on NJ ROW that connects 0 PA assets and has no money flow benefits for them. They are upgrading airports, ports, and freight but the only thing they've done for the train (apart from connect it to Newark airport, thus eating known profits from NJT) is reduce service year after year. They are losing immense amounts of money on it, there is no way they're expanding the train anywhere.