ITS DEAD
Murphy has scrapped the wasteful widening of the Turnpike through Hudson County.
The original $10.6 billion plan will be updated to remove new travel lanes east of Interchange 14A and add a direct link from the Turnpike Extension to port facilities in Bayonne and Jersey City, Murphy and state Transportation Commissioner Fran O’Connor said in a joint statement.
The twin spans will be preserved, however. In addition, ramps will be built that will give trucks direct access to the ports. This will also save over $500 million that would otherwise be wasted.
Some also worry that because of the bridge having an extra span, the Turnpike may try and widen the Hudson County portion at a later date due to increased traffic.
Jersey City’s mayor-elect haa also welcomed this decision, saying that the highway will not further tear into the city’s neighborhoods. However, he too, also criticized the project in general and advocates for better transit.
“However, while we appreciate this scaled-back plan, let’s be clear: billions of dollars are still being spent to move more cars through our region instead of investing in the mass transit and safe streets that Jersey City families actually need. We’ll keep pushing for a transportation policy that prioritizes people over traffic.”
The state also released a press release on the matter.