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Both systems seem to be in a race to the bottom. Prolonged cutbacks in service, no vision for improving and increasing ridership to help decrease auto traffic. Sandy has exposed both PATH and NJT as agencies whose leadership is not really committed to their jobs.

I gave up on the light rail on weekends soon after this cut in service happened (thanks Christie!) but since Sandy took out Hoboken I am going through Newport a lot more and I've found the platform has almost always been completely packed. I haven't seen any disorderly passengers. but it seems crazy that they don't increase service with such demand. It was good to hear they are adding service while they take the uptown PATH completely offline for two weekends, but it should be permanent. How much more can it cost to at least run the two car trains when there is overcrowding?

Wow, I hadn't seen that yet! I'd be glad to jump to the conclusion its for the Tilted Kilt customers.

Sleazy. Where is the Scottish anti-defamation league on this?

Women should be able to wear whatever they want, but when they are objectified like this, it tends to attract some sad and ugly men.

I live near the MetroStop where one of these just opened. The developer who sold Hoboken this crap used photos of Amelia's as an example of the kind of retail that they would bring. The property is directly adjacent to the 9th St HBLRT station. It was in the Hoboken city plan as a public plaza, but the private property was never acquired by the city after the light rail stop opened, and then MetroHomes came in and got a ton of variances from the city. The retail has sat empty for years, and then this is what they bring in? Sleazy.

Yes! It is time for JC (and Hoboken) to follow the experiment that has been going on in NYC for the past few years, and make a region wide bike lane system as part of a "complete streets" makeover that improves safety for all users of our streets.

I would also like to see the bike share program that will start next summer in NYC expand to this side of the Hudson eventually.

The long term plan looks really good, but nothing will happen until the Port Authority is committed to rebuild the PATH station and bus terminal, and NJT to run possible light rail or bus rapid transit. That will not happen during the Christie administration, unfortunately.

On my ride home tonight, while waiting for the train at 23rd St, a man fell into the tracks, due to some sort of seizure, and within seconds there were 3 to 5 people lifting him to the platform and out of the way of an incoming train. The train waited, and several people attended him, and within 2 minutes police and medics were there. It was inspiring, and I thank all of you.

I was just thinking about this problem, as I need to go to Home Depot from the heights via the light rail, and it is always such a pain to walk from the Newport stop because of the mall, parking garage, and Holland Tunnel highways. I think the only real long term solution is to convince Lefrak to replace the parking garage with new high rise buildings that have added parking, and place them on blocks that restore the street grid with 8th Street and 9th Street as East - West access to the mall. At some point in the future ( I hope) that property will be too valuable to waste on just parking.

Maybe in the meantime they could make some improvement to the garage to make it easier and safer to walk through, but I can't imagine it making much of a difference.

Great event! Thanks so much to all the people who put this together! I am already looking forward to the 2nd annual! Another thing that would be great to see would be a summer streets/cyclovia event similar to the Park Avenue closing that NYC has had for the past few years. What would the best street to do it? Kennedy Blvd?

The Riverview Neighborhood Association has posted a pdf of the plan on their website. Thanks RNA!

I think consolidation of Hudson is a brilliant idea. For issues of development and transportation having just one administration would make a world of difference. Other than the cost savings, the more reasons to argue for this the better. In this era of corruption, I would think transparency and accountability could be greatly improved.

Great thread here. I remember when this proposal first came out and thought it was brilliant and am so sad that no NY or NJ pol would spend the political capital to make it happen. Not surprised at all that the Port Authority had no interest whatsoever, and they will be the main impediment to it ever happening. There is a great book about the history of the PA that gives some great insight into how that institution was created and became the bloated behemoth that it is today - Empire on the Hudson

Another proposal I think deserves some real thought is to run the HBLRT through the Lincoln Tunnel to the Bus Terminal or down 42nd St

I'm all for cutting pollution, but do cars really idle that much on JC streets? I'm not a driver so I'm biased, but when I've been riding with a friend or in a cab it doesn't seem to me like there was a problem. As for speeding traffic? Did they really say that? They want to encourage drivers to speed on city streets? WT...??But what seems to be completely missing in this plan is the pedestrian equation. While the cars will see flashing reds and yellows, pedestrians will just see a blacked out walk/don't walk sign, I guess to save electricity. I agree with kitten that this creates a dangerous situation where people will have to edge out into the intersection and just hope the cars slow down. This seems quite at odds with the Team Healy progressive urban planning that has been winning all those awards.

I made a google map of the bike lanes in JC and Hoboken.

It would be great if JC could get someone like Janette Sadik Khan, the DOT commish over in NYC who has been working to make biking a viable way to get around. Without spending a lot of $$ she has made a huge impact already.

It is almost 3 months to the day that Jack Shaw was found dead in his apartment. Preliminary autopsy was inconclusive, and the news stories said toxicology tests would take a few weeks. So by September those results should have been in. With no official information we are left to speculate.

1- The Governors race

Chris Christie looked to have the governorship locked up back in early August when the stink of endemic, mostly democratic municipal corruption was being let out for all to see (or smell?) Here we are less than 2 weeks from election day and the polls are even and the anti-corruption angle of Christie's campaign seems to have disappeared. My speculation: if there was no foul play then revealing that would have no political impact and they would have said something back in September. Revealing that there was foul play would open the AG office to accusations of political games, so they are waiting until after election day.

2- The Zombie administration of JC Official #4

With so many members of Team Healy being caught up in the corruption scandal, and strong evidence linking their actions to the mayor himself, one has to assume the feds have been trying to put together a case on JC official #4 but haven't found the smoking gun yet. It's possible they have it but are waiting for the election to be over, but it seems more likely at this point that Healy is too powerful for mere mortals to get him. In any self respecting democracy this entire administration and it's city council hacks would have folded in shame. But here in Hudson County no one seems to care much, and so despite indictments, admissions of guilt, and a key player turning up dead less than a week after the story broke, Team Healy lurches on, haunting the halls of at 280 Grove St.

I am willing to accept that Jack Shaw, in poor health and facing a devastating end to his career, could have died for various reasons, over medication, intentional suicide, etc. But the circumstances demand a full, IMPARTIAL investigation. The family and friends of Mr Shaw also deserve some closure to the tragic end of this man's life.

It used to switch to the blinking lights only in the late hours, after midnight, and now it is doing it in the middle of rush hour. Seemed broken to me.

Also, as a pedestrian, the consequences of playing chicken with 40 mph cars is life or death.

I guess JC is decades away from being a pedestrian friendly town, if ever.

Happy driving!

For the past week or so the lights at this intersection just blink yellow for Paterson and red for Congress every evening after 6pm. There is still heavy traffic at this time, and many pedestrians exiting the light rail station via the bridge. This is a very dangerous situation and I'm surprised it has lasted this long.

I overloaded my kitchenaid mixer with bread dough, blowing out the motor, and I ended up dragging it out to Brooklyn on the subway ( I don't have a car) to this place:

Solomon's Appliance Center
1701 86th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11214
Phone: 718-236-5065
Fax: 718-236-9045

They had it good as new in about a week, and it has been running fine ever since.

Any word on whether the closing times are legit or just the work of some overeager sign maker at Newport HQ? NY's Sixth has a link to a NY Times interview with Monsieur LeFrak himself, where he brags it will be opened by our dear Gov'ner. Love that his proudest accomplishment is that he hasn't been hauled off in handcuffs yet.

Anyway, I am ready to raise some hell about these insane time restrictions, but am awaiting my marching orders from those in the know.

The posted hours seem crazy! This is not some small park tucked away where evening and late night shenanigans need to be curtailed, it will be a major pedestrian thoroughfare. Are there any other parts of the riverfront walkway that are closed at any time?

Noticed today that the "wind" had knocked down the chainlink fence at the light rail stop side of the bridge, so you can walk as far as the closed gate on the Newport walkway right at the end of the bridge. I guess NJT is done with its part, and now its up to Lefrak to open up his side.

They just put up the last bit of fence that was missing a few days ago. NJT may need to change the way they have the western edge of the light rail station fenced off, but other than that I can't see anything left to do.

I hope they open it in time to enjoy this summer.

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That's a fascinating article! And makes me wonder if the "Journal" in question is the same poor Jersey Journal that we are saddled with today. Do they still make most of their money from the tax sale advertisements?

Without real investigative journalism the rats will crawl right back into city hall as soon as the FBI lights get turned off.

Better yet, they could set up a screen outside. I was in Berlin during the World Cup and many of the cafes would have a TV set up outside, and it was just a wonderful way to watch the games. Some people would just watch a bit as they walked by, others would make it a home for the whole day of games. If Zeppelin has the game on this sunday, I am THERE!!!

Is it just me or are Fulop and Richardson the only sane members of this city council? Vega talked about supporting the PPG settlement because of the clear majority of speakers for it during the hearing, but then after the amended abatement hearing showed NO ONE supporting it, he voted for it anyway! Brennan and Lipski seemed to be both openly hostile and condescending to the pubic, and in love with the sound of their own voices. Lipski actually said " I support abatements for everyone!" He is still taking a piss on people. Good riddance!

That this property got an abatement at all is insane. WT...???? If these guys can't make a go of it with some of the most valuable property in the city then let them default and have a developer who knows what they are doing take it over. There should be a moratorium on abatements until this city gets it's finances in order. I'm sick of seeing my tax bill skyrocket year after year while the mayor and the council keep abating the most valuable properties in the city.

I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!!!!

Nivekt13 - It looked like they had another week or two of work, if they are working every day.

Weinish - why would they only have German beers?

I went back to the website today, and they have changed the opening day to "mid June". They also have a beer and food menu, boasting "144 draft lines of European beers and American craft brews."

Here are the highlights of their list of draught -

Franziskaner Weissbier - Germany

Spaten Oktoberfest - Germany
Hofbrau Hefeweisen - Germany
Hofbrau Original - Germany
Hoegaarden - Belgium
Hacker-Schorr Hefeweisen - Germany
Stella Artois - Belgium
Blue Moon - Golden, CO
Beck?s - Germany
Radeberger - Germany
Guinness - Ireland
Staropramen - Czech Republic
Bass Ale - England

Newcastle Brown Ale - England
Abita Purple Haze - New Orleans, LA
Aventinus - Germany

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog - Portsmouth, NH

Smuttynose IPA - Portsmouth, NH
Boddington?s Pub Ale - England

Tennent?s Scottish Ale - United Kingdom
DAB - Germany
Leffe Brown Ale - Belgium
River Horse Double Wit - Lambertville, NJ
Fruili Strawberry White Ale - Belgium
Heineken - Germany

Czechvar - Czech Republic

Carlsberg - Denmark

Pilsner Urquell - Czech Republic

Kira Belgian White - Belgium
Leine?s Sunset Wheat - Chippewa Falls, WI
Grolsh - Netherlands
Blue Point Toasted Lager - Patchogue, NY

Smithwick?s - Ireland
Palm - Belgium
Honey Moon - Golden, CO
Leffe Blonde Ale - Belgium
Celebrator Doppelbock - Germany
Corsendonk Brown Ale - Belgium

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see how this new exit helps at all.

The basic problem I see is that at the end of all these massive new highways that have been built in the past 50 years is a 1930's 2 lane tunnel to NYC. Having 8 lanes feeding into 2 lanes is a perfect recipe for traffic jam.

If drivers are currently getting off at 14B to drive 2 miles through downtown, I am sure they will get off at this new exit and circle around the mall and right through Hamilton Park to wait in traffic to get into the tunnel.

There are two options, increase the number of lanes of the actual tunnel, or DECREASE the number of lanes feeding into it. I vote for the latter.

We made the mistake of just going to their website today and, thrilled with the news that they had opened last Thursday, we wandered off to quench our thirsts. After wandering around in search of cool refreshing beverages we finally found the biergarten!



We're Here! We're Here! But Where The F#@%$ the BEER?!?!?!?

In looking over the new JC Mobility 2050 plan that will be up for a vote in 2 weeks, I found that they have included this connector between Jersey Avenue and Philip street. Now this will make that road part of the official city master plan, but does not actually fund it.

What is interesting about the plan is that it also includes a re-routing of the HBLRT to avoid the long elbow that it currently takes north and west of LSP. Instead it will pass east under the expressway, cross Philip St and then run across the new bridge to connect with the existing light rail track that runs along side Jersey Ave.

The other thing to consider is that the mobility (or circulation) plan calls for all of the city streets to be "complete streets" with bike paths and pedestrian friendly designs, including traffic calming.

So, if a new bridge connecting Jersey Avenue to LSP were to include this light rail, and a bike lane, and limit car traffic speeds in some manner, would it be an acceptable compromise for those opposed to any road at all?

That's effed up! He must be getting a lot of that diverted traffic from the Tonnele Circle construction. I wonder if he just videotaped "the wrong guy" or if this is how the DOT is dealing with public criticism ;)