North Bergen transitions to virtual parking permits

January 18, 2022

01nbparking27 — Residents can still get virtual permits in person at the NBPA, seen here via Google Maps

The North Bergen Parking Authority (NBPA) has made all parking permits virtual.

Drivers can now register their vehicles at a new Permit Portal located on the NBPA website at nbpaonline.org. In addition, the township has launched a new mobile app known as ParkVantage to allow visitors to the township’s commercial areas to purchase parking by credit or debit card without needing to carry change.

“We’re working hard every day to improve parking in our community, and these new virtual programs will help residents, visitors and customers at local businesses park more easily and conveniently,” Mayor Nicholas Sacco said in a newsletter regarding the virtual shift.

Get permits online

Through the use of new license plate reading technology, all residential and visitor permits are now virtual. Users upload a picture of their driver’s license and vehicle registration from any device to the new Permit Portal.

Parking permit confirmations are delivered via email. According to the township, rates have not changed.

Any car parked in a residential zone for more than three hours must be registered with the NBPA. All current residential parking permit holders are already pre-registered, but will need to create a free account to renew a permit or make changes.

Daily visitor parking permits are also now available online for guests who will be parking in a residential zone for more than three hours. Each virtual daily permit allows a visitor to park in a residential zone for 24 hours, with no tag required.

Still available in person

Virtual residential and visitor permits are available over the counter at the NBPA office at 4225 Bergen Turnpike during operating hours. For those without internet access or after office hours, pay stations are available.

According to the township, the new online system was released earlier than anticipated to provide a safe way to obtain permits during the pandemic. The NBPA is working with the developer on further refining the program to eliminate certain requirements to make it easier to use.

ParkVantage app users will be able to renew permits for longer-term parking, with a maximum of six hours instead of three. There will be a convenience fee on each transaction, and higher hourly rates will kick in after the first three hours. Traditional parking meters accepting change and metered pay stations accepting various forms of payment are still available for residents who prefer them, according to the township.

“Residential and visitor parking permits are essential for making sure that there is enough available street parking in our neighborhoods, and these new digital options will make it even easier to get vehicles registered and able to park,” said NBPA Executive Director Robert Baselice.

Change is hard

While North Bergen is trying to make parking easier, not everyone is pleased.

Outspoken resident Robert Walden argues the new parking regulations have eliminated the ability of residents to buy visitor passes in advance in recent letters-to-the-editor. According to Walden, a resident must now buy a permit after the visitor arrives, after uploading the visitor’s driver’s license, registration and plate number to the NB Parking Authority if the guest wants to park for more than three hours.

“This is not just unreasonable and difficult for everyone, it is an invasion of your and your visitor’s privacy,” he said.

However, residents can obtain virtual visitor permits ahead of time at the NBPA office and at pay stations, according to the township. Residents just need to indicate the date when entering other visitor information.

“The virtual permit has added another layer for people to be able to get permits,” Baselice said. “Everything people want to do with regards to getting permits at our office they could still do, it’s just that it’s no longer a physical hangtag. It’s more accessible.”

A work in progress

Baselice reiterated that the entire program is not completely rolled out yet.

“We went to a better system we think and many residents believe so,” Baselice said. “The machines that we purchased will allow us to limit the amount of times a plate can purchase a permit in a week because we do have people that buy are permit every day and park on our streets and then commute to New York or whatever. We haven’t gotten there yet, we needed to get the visitor permits rolled out. Then we have the visitor permit one-day rolled out. Then we will have the visitor permit where you can buy more than one at a time rolled out. Then we will have to option to buy multiple permits at one time. So we’re still in the process.”

The system was released early as a means to mitigate the virus spread.

“After all offices were closed in 2020, we had to come up with some platform and that’s what we did,” Baselice said. “Now we’re refining it. There are still some questions that are out there and I’ve been speaking to residents. We try our best to make sure that what we’re doing is in the best interests of as many people as possible. But change is difficult sometimes. We’re trying to address that.”

Officials addressing parking

Additionally, Walden said the new process encourages ‘out-of-towners’ to park in North Bergen. But he added the issue is not necessarily with visitors parking in the township, but the lack of parking in general.

“The real problem is North Bergen keeps building huge housing complexes which don’t provide enough parking for tenants and visitors,” he said. “More residents [equals] more cars. It’s also because NB doesn’t build parking garages, only small parking lots here and there.”

Baselice disagreed, arguing that the township has been increasing parking lots and that many buildings have parking lots that sit empty.

“I don’t necessarily agree with that,” Basilece said. “I do a lot of parking. Buildings have parking lots that are underutilized in many cases. That’s out there, we all know that… In the time that I’ve been here, we went from five parking lots to 22. There will be 22 this year. We went from 90 spaces to over 450. We put angled parking on Bergenline, we put angled parking on Broadway, and we’re going to put angled parking on Boulevard East in the near future. And we’re going to extend the angled parking on Bergenline.”

Comparing North Bergen to its neighbors, Walden suggested the township follow suit: “The new parking regulations are mean spirited and poorly thought out, unlike in Union City and Weehawken, which give their residents two re-usable visitor parking permits which don’t expire for at least a year, for free!”

‘Better system’ now in place

Addressing the comments about the new system allegedly being ‘mean-spirited and poorly thought out,’ Baselice said: “We spent many hours of conversations and many hours of meetings discussing this with residents and looking at past complaints,” he said. “We’re trying to make it better for our residents, we’re not trying to make it worse. We’re not subsidized by the township, we don’t take a penny.”

Baselice said the new virtual format is better, and said that distributing physical hang tags in that matter would not be tenable given the population.

“We believe it’s a better system,” Baselice said. “We don’t want there to be user error. We don’t want to be in a situation where there are people that want to be able to do something online. I don’t have the ability to do that, so we built it out in that fashion so now if you don’t want to come to the office, you don’t have to. You can now purchase your permits online.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Weehawken considers early voting for May municipal election

Hudson Reporter

January 17, 2022

01weeearly27-1 — The Weehawken Township Council met in person and virtually on Jan. 12.

The township of Weehawken is planning to offer early voting ahead of the May 2022 municipal election. At its January meeting, the Township Council introduced an ordinance that would allow for the early voting.

“New Jersey has allowed early voting for municipal elections,” Mayor Richard Turner said at the Jan. 12 meeting.

While the state has authorized early voting for municipal elections, in order for the township to partake, it must first pass the ordinance, according to Turner.

“We have to pass an ordinance authorizing early voting, in addition to vote-by-mail and everything else,” Turner said.

There were nine days of early voting for the General Election in 2021, but there would only be three days this time around. The three days of voting would take place the weekend prior to the election.

“It’s Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Turner said.

There would be no voting the Monday before Election Day, and voting would resume on Tuesday. The move to allow early voting for the May 2022 municipal elections follows the success of the recent early voting implemented by the state and county in 2021.

“Again, this is a new law that the state passed,” Turner said. “We’re taking advantage of it along with neighboring towns that have upcoming elections.”

If the ordinance is approved, Weehawken will join Union City in allowing early voting for the upcoming municipal elections. A public hearing and vote on the ordinance is scheduled for the Weehawken council’s next meeting.

The Township Council will meet next at 7 p.m. on Jan. 26 at the Second Floor Council Chambers at Town Hall at 400 Park Avenue. The meetings are held in person but with a virtual option via Zoom. For more information, go to weehawken-nj.us.

Mayor Turner has not yet officially announced his reelection bid, but is likely to run to keep his position. He was first elected in 1990 and last reelected in 2018, and would be seeking his ninth term. Turner, who has overseen the Weehawken for decades, last faced a challenger 20 years ago in 2002.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

West New York rolls out plans for parking improvements

Hudson Reporter

January 14, 2022

01wnyboc20_1 — West New York officials announced the new project and updates to several others at its Jan. 12 meeting via Zoom.

West New York officials unveiled plans for a new parking deck in town and gave updates to the status of other ongoing parking initiatives.

Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez said that the COVID-19 pandemic put a lot of things on hold that are now kicking back into gear.

“This will update the community on where we are going with parking,” Rodriguez said. “We all know that parking or lack thereof is an extremely big problem in the community. We are very excited to announce where we are going in our projects and that’s not only speaking to those that have to do with parking, but recapping everything we’ve done in the last year and more importantly, things to come.”

Special Projects Manager Jonathan Castaneda laid out the new and ongoing initiatives during the Capital Plan Midterm Review at the Jan. 12 meeting of the West New York Board of Commissioners.

“Parking is undoubtedly the priority for all West New Yorkers as a whole,” Castaneda said. “Mayor Rodriguez and the Board of Commissioners have set forth a parking and infrastructure plan that includes the construction of three new parking decks, the first investment of its kind in over 10 years.”

New parking deck on 54th Street

The town will convert the 54th Street Parking Lot next to Memorial High School Freshman Academy into a parking deck.

“This is a new partnership that we’re undertaking with the Board of Education to convert the surface parking on 54th Street behind the Freshman Academy to a new parking deck,” Castaneda said.

After the renovations are complete the lot of 55 parking spaces will become a deck with over 110 parking spaces. Construction is estimated to be complete by the summer of 2023.

A rendering of the planned parking deck on 54th Street.

Earlier in the meeting, the board introduced an ordinance that would sell the parking lot at 5401 Park Avenue to the Board of Education for $1. A public hearing on the matter will be held at the next commissioners meeting on Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom; for more information go to westnewyorknj.org and click on the event on the calendar webpage.

The other two new parking decks will be built on the surface parking lots at 51st Street and 57th Street.

The 51st Street Parking Lot holds 185 spaces. After renovations, the deck will total 485. The project is expected to be completed in December of 2022, Castaneda said, but a contract has not yet been awarded.

The 57th Street Parking Lot behind Modell’s parking lot of 78 spaces will upgrade to a 210 space deck. The project has entered the construction phase, and the board advertised bids for the work at its Jan. 12 meeting. Castaneda said this project is expected to be completed by March of 2023, “bringing relief to residents in town.”

Angled parking and road resurfacing

Other projects are in the works, including conversion of parking spots on the street from regular to angled. Portions of Broadway between 52nd and 53rd Street have already udergone change. According to Castaneda, this netted the town a total of approximately six parking spaces. Meanwhile the town is also resurfacing many roads in need.

Mayor Rodriguez stands on a portion of Bergenline that has been refitted with angled parking.

“We’re aware of numerous roads that need to be resurfaced,” Castaneda said. “We have worked to priortize the most urgent roads over the course of the last two years.”

Completed roads include Bergenline Avenue; 62nd Street between Broadway and Bergenline; 54th, 56th, and 57th Streets between Kennedy and Bergenline; Broadway from 56th Street to the Union City border; and 51st Street from Broadway to Bergenline Avenue. More roads are slated to be redone in the future.

“To date, we’ve invested over $3.5 million in our roads,” Castaneda said. “The road renovations that are upcoming will include new sidewalks and curbs.

Existing parking deck upgrades, lot resurfacing, and streetscaping

West New York has already completed a number of parking initiatives that had been in motion for years. The town just finished renovating the pre-existing parking deck on 62nd Street. The deck received maintenance and security upgrades.

An aerial view of the completed streetscape project on Bergenline Avenue.

Also recently completed were renovations to the 63rd Street Parking Lot. The lot was resurfaced and green infrastructure upgrades were installed. In addition, the town has completed the renovations of the streetscape along Bergenline Avenue.

“This project was intended to not only beautify the streets, but also revitalize the economic activity along our ‘Miracle Mile,’” Castaneda said. “This project is very important for West New York. Economic investment in our businesses and our business district allows and equals jobs for our residents. The furtherance of the commercial activity that leads to the ever important economic multipliers that help West New York families access new and sustained economic opportunities moving forward.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Inside the mind of a breakout North Hudson artist

Hudson Reporter

January 13, 2022

01ucdiaz20_1 — Artist Kevin Diaz poses in front of a wall of his art. Photo by Daniel Israel

A local horror-inspired artist is clawing his way to the top of the art scene in Hudson County. Artist Kevin Diaz says his nightmare-fueled paintings have come to be part of an artistic movement among North Hudson municipalities.

Diaz was born in North Bergen, and raised in Guttenberg. An alumni of North Bergen High School, he started painting at age 18.

“I took a painting class during my senior year of high school,” he said. “I was like, ‘Ooh, I like this!’ Then I just kept doing it. I never thought I was going to be, like, an artist. But then I thought, why not?”

That was around 2013. Diaz started by making posters that he wanted to put on his walls. Now at age 25 he has his own studio in Union City.

“It’s nice to have your own space to create and do what you want to do, rather than messing up your mom’s house,” he said. Self-deprecating humor is a trademark.

First he went to Hudson County Community College and graduated with a degree in Computer Arts. Then he graduated from Arizona State University online with a Bachelor of the Arts in Art History. Now Diaz is sharing his art with the places he calls home.

“I was born and raised here, and I thought I should be catering to the local community,” he said.

“I Don’t Want to Feel Love,” by Kevin Diaz

Inspired by the darkness

Diaz draws inspiration from an array of dark and twisted topics which defined his youth.

“I would say my influences stem from dark watercolor paintings as well as the seedy underbelly of pop culture,” he said. “Horror, true crime, and performance art are also main influences on my art.”

In addition to incorporating ideas from things like the dark side of pop culture and horror movies, Diaz puts some of his own personal demons on display throughout his work.

“I’m also perpetually drawn to the idea of my anxiety being present in my work, which I exemplify with my expressionistic brush strokes, splatters, and spontaneous materials.”

While it’s an outlet to deal with his anxiety sometimes, Diaz said, “When I have anxiety I shut down and I don’t want to do anything.” But that hasn’t stopped him lately.

“This is the first year that I’m doing anything,” he said. “I was in school before and I didn’t have any friends so I didn’t do anything. After I graduated, I knew I needed to network and put myself out there.”

Show after show after show

Lately it seems like Diaz, who also goes by Slaughter DK, can’t go a week without hosting an art show. He frequently partners with local galleries or hosts art shows at his studio in Union City.

Diaz poses in front of Greenhive Studio before one of his shows opens in June of 2021.

One common venue where he hosts his displays of visual and performance art, complete with live music, is an art gallery known as Greenhive Studio.

“I started working with Greenhive through a friend,” Diaz said. “We just connected after that and we built a friendship. Now we’re associates, I like to consider myself a Greenhive bitch.”

According to Diaz, the space is more than just a gallery, it’s rather a “collective” of artists and other talent. And he falls under that other category too, incorporating performance art into his gallery exhibitions.

“I’m a huge Maria Abramovic fan, even though that’s like a minicscule part of my inspiration for performance art,” he said. “I like to shock people. I like to do controversial things.”

‘A clown at heart’

Part of that meant dressing in full clown garb at a recent show. Diaz said he has always been a clown at heart.

“I’ve always considered myself a clown on the inside, because I’m always making people laugh,” he said. “But there’s always something a little romantic about a clown. They’re paid to entertain you and make you happy, but you don’t know what’s going on behind the makeup. You don’t even know what the person looks like.”

Diaz started doing makeup this year, and it is now an important part of his art: “I’ve always been hesitant to do my makeup, because I don’t trust myself to leave the house looking a mess.”

Diaz, known in the art world as Slaughter DK, dressed at a clown at a more recent art show at Greenhive.

He has since come a long way, from being hesitant to leave the house with makeup on to going full clown. But Diaz said he would have done it anyway, regardless if he had started wearing makeup in other more casual settings, because he is proud to be a living piece of his art.

Throughout 2021, Diaz made painted a number of pieces for his various shows. However, he is also particularly proud of a table sculpture he made, utilizing in part the legs of a mannequin and a lot of candles. Another sculpture he made consists of a mannequin head on a stick wrapped like a lollipop, of which there are two.

Powering through 2022

Diaz said he is going to keep the momentum going in 2022.

“I started 2021 full steam ahead and I’m planning on starting 2022 full steam ahead,” he said.

That means continuing to contribute to enrich the local art scene. Diaz is starting with the building his art studio is located in. A former warehouse which is now rented for other commercial means, just off of Kennedy Boulevard, he is hoping to inspire other artists to move in and contribute to the scene.

“There’s not a lot of artists in this building,” he said. “There’s a lot of music artists here and a lot of businesses, but not a lot of visual artists. I’m like trying to start a revival here.”

Diaz also wants to do more for the local community than just share his art. He looks to do fundraisers and more for important causes in the future, but wants to continue to help develop the current movement first.

These lollipop heads were part of his “Fever Dreams: Ode to the Uncanny” exhibit in late October.

“I really want to do more for the community, like fundraisers and things of that nature, but I have to build a repertoire and, like, a following before I do that,” he said.

And since Diaz can muster a decent attendance at one of his exhibits while COVID-19 cases are so high, when things settle down more it is not inconceivable that his shows will draw more attendance.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

North Bergen inks financial agreement with local transloading facility

Hudson Reporter

January 12, 2022

01nbBoC20 — An aerial view of the trainload facility in North Bergen.

North Bergen has entered into an Impact Fee Agreement with Strategic Rail Solutions (SRS). The one-of-a-kind $10 million transloading facility is designed to support major infrastructure projects like the Gateway Tunnel and is located in the township.

Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the North Bergen Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution ratifying the financial agreement at its Jan. 12 meeting. The agreement will involve SRS voluntarily paying a fee to the township of 50 cents per ton of material shipped. Officials estimated it could amount to over $150,000 per year.

“Strategic Rail Solutions is an innovative business model that will help support infrastructure projects like Gateway, the Portal Bridge and others that are absolutely critical to our regional economy while also taking thousands of trucks off the roads, reducing emissions and helping our environment,” Sacco said. “We’re very pleased that this company decided to voluntarily work with us to ensure that they make a positive impact on our local community and I thank them for their willingness to be a good neighbor.”

Strategic transloading facility

Located at the intersection of West Side Avenue and 83rd Street in North Bergen, SRS is a 20-acre transloading facility strategically placed on several major freight rail lines. The company is working directly with major contractors on regional infrastructure projects as its preferred vendor to offload tunnel boring material, which is non-hazardous rock, sand and shish that is drilled out of the ground to build new train tunnels.

The material is tested at each individual job site and then transported by truck to SRS, which is conveniently located just miles from both the Lincoln Tunnel and George Washington Bridge. SRS then again tests the material, weighs it and loads it onto rail cars to be transported to faraway processing facilities in “the most efficient, green manner possible.”

Then it transports virgin quarry material back to its location to be used in various local construction projects. According to the township, every SRS railcar can transport as much material as five trucks, meaning that each trip creates “a substantial reduction in carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses.”

Woman and minority-owned business

“Working hand in hand with our host community is incredibly important to our entire team and we are very grateful to Mayor Sacco and the township for being so willing to collaborate with us and for recognizing the transformative nature of this project and the positive impact it will have on not just North Bergen, but the region as a whole and ultimately the country,” said Maria Elisa Guido, president and owner of SRS.

Strategic Rail Solutions is a registered woman and minority-owned business and it plans to hire dozens of unionized employees with competitive salaries and benefits as its operations begin this year, according to the township. Its 13,000 square foot building includes state-of-the-art rail car scales, drainage and paving improvements, concrete floor, loading pedestals, and crane and lay down space.

SRS handles non-hazardous materials only, and will not transport any solid waste or recyclables. The facility is located within a federal Opportunity Zone as well as a state Urban Enterprise Zone.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

North Bergen mourns police officer killed in fatal crash

Hudson Reporter

January 11, 2022

01nbpolice20_1 — Office Julio Luis Noriega, photo via the FundtheFirst fundraiser webpage

North Bergen is mourning the loss of a local police officer, Julio Luis Noriega, who died on Jan. 8 after being involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident with a garbage truck.

Noriega was killed in the crash at Tonnelle Avenue and 41st Street on his way to work, according to the North Bergen Police Department.

“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the death of Officer Julio Luis Noriega, Badge #170, who succumbed to his injuries earlier this morning as a result of a serious motor vehicle accident,” the department posted on social media. “Please pray for Julio’s family and his dear friends during this difficult time.”

Noriega was knocked unconscious after the crash occurred around 7:03 a.m. The garbage truck driver, an off-duty EMT, and another person pulled him from the burning vehicle. Noriega was administered CPR and rushed to Jersey City Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead of his injuries.

The driver of the garbage truck was not injured, but a passenger of that vehicle was injured and taken to an area hospital.

Mayor Nicholas Sacco offered his condolences to the family in a statement.

Another photo of Noriega, via the North Bergen Police Department

“It is with a very heavy heart that we must announce the tragic death of North Bergen Police Officer Julio Luis Noriega, who was killed in a motor vehicle accident while on his way to work earlier today,” Sacco said. “Officer Noriega served our community with distinction as a member of the NBPD for the past two years, including being honored as officer of the month in September 2020 for his excellent work solving a robbery, and he and several members of his family have been deeply involved in our community for many years.

“On behalf of Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual, Chief Peter Fasillis and the entire department, I ask North Bergen residents to join us in praying for Officer Noriega’s family, friends and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.”

Noriega joined the force in 2019 after having worked as a dispatcher since 2015. In a social media post, Gov. Phil Murphy also mourned his death.

“Tammy and I are saddened by the passing of North Bergen Police Officer Julio Noriega, who served his community with honor and distinction,” Murphy said. “We are praying for his family, friends, and fellow officers.”

A fundraiser to pay for funeral expenses has been set up online at FundtheFirst.com. As of Jan. 11, it had already raised $34,142 of the $50,000 goal.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

North Bergen property tax reval contractor completes preliminary values

Hudson Reporter

December 28, 2021

01nbreval06 — While initial inspections are complete, those who missed ASI representatives can still schedule an interior inspection.

The property tax revaluation in North Bergen is nearing its final stages, according to North Bergen Chief Financial Officer Robert Pittfield.

Due to a directive from the state of New Jersey and the Hudson County Board of Taxation, the township began a mandatory property tax revaluation process to accurately assess the value of all properties in late 2020.

In November of 2020, the Board of Commissioners voted to adopt an ordinance that began a tax revaluation of all properties. The following month, the board voted to award the contract for the reval to Appraisal Systems, Inc. (ASI) for $995,000, which had previously conducted revals in Jersey City in 2018, and Bayonne in 2020.

After some months of waiting for further state approvals, the revaluation firm began inspecting properties in April of 2021.

Inspections nearly over

Pittfield told the Hudson Reporter that ASI has completed the first few phases of the process, which includes conducting interior inspections for property owners.

“Appraisal Systems Inc. has indicated that first visit residential inspections are complete,” Pittfield said. “They are continuing to conduct interior inspections for property owners who call to schedule inspections.”

Since ASI has finished its initial inspections, with the additional scheduled inspections underway, it is now in the review stage of the process.

“Preliminary values are complete and ASI is in their review process,” Pittlfield said.

So what does that mean for homeowners waiting to know the fate of their revaluation? According to Pittfield, letters with the new value of their property will be in the mail soon.

“Value letters will be mailed to property owners in mid-January, with informal meetings to follow for any property owner who wishes to discuss their proposed assessment,” he said.

Additional assistance available

The township has prepared an FAQ in English and Spanish with answers to the most common questions about the revaluation, broken down by topic. Additionally, it has also released a video with more information regarding the visitation part of the process for residents. For more information on both, go to northbergen.org.

The township is now primarily in between steps two and three of the seven-step revaluation, with step two being analyzing the data and step three being reviewing it. The next step, step four, is to inform the residents of the property assessments via mail and online.

Following that, residents would have the opportunity to meet with ASI in informal hearings as part of step five. Step six involves submitting the final values to the municipality and county, and step seven allows for appeals of assessments. There is no timeline yet for when the next steps are slated to occur.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

NY Waterway on board with NYC’s new freight plan

Hudson Reporter

December 21, 2021

12weewaterway30-2 — NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announces funding that will support the initiative on Dec. 15.

NY Waterway is on board and ready to help with New York City’s plan to reduce roadway congestion by addressing reliance on trucks to deliver freight.

The commitment by the Hudson River-based ferry operator follows a recent announcement by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio of approximately $38 million in new funding for freight programs.

“It’s our mission at New York Waterway to reduce congestion on the region’s roadways,” NY Waterway Chairman, President and CEO Armand Pohan said in a statement. “As the largest ferry fleet in New York Harbor, we stand ready to work with the City and with private partners to carry more freight on our passenger lines.”

Officials made the funding announcement on Dec. 15 on Pier 79 against the backdrop of a NY Waterway passenger ferry that will moonlight for freight use. NY Waterway ferries already carries some freight, but would see an increase under New York City’s new plan.

“For centuries, maritime freight was the core of New York City’s economy,” said de Blasio.” Now, it’s time to re-engage the blue highway that can make deliveries safer, faster, and more sustainable.”

That funding includes $18 million for the new Blue Highways pilot program, a joint effort between the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to spur private investments in marine vessels to transport goods into and around the city. The program also encourages the use of sustainable last mile delivery solutions like electric trucks and commercial cargo bicycles.

“Our ferries can cross the Hudson in seven minutes, and are a fast way to bring small containerized shipments right to the heart of business districts in Midtown and Downtown,” Pohan said. “We look forward to becoming a green, sustainable alternative not only to private passenger cars, but now to freight trucks as well.”

Moving freight by ferry

Nearly 90 percent of New York City’s goods are moved by truck, the result of the shift from rail and water networks to highways in the second half of the 20th century. The DOT estimates that truck traffic across the Hudson River has increased by over 50 percent between January 2020 and September 2021.

Without action, the increase in freight demands will result in tens of thousands more trucks crossing into the city every day, while the network of streets and bridges remains fixed.

The growing dependency on trucks to meet an increasing demand for goods exacerbates traffic congestion, pollutes air, stresses aging infrastructure, and harms quality of life in residential neighborhoods, not only in New York City but also Hudson County which many trucks drive through on their final stretch to New York City.

Small freight trucks take the ferry to NYC.

The city’s new plan to address the reliance on trucks to move freight, dubbed Delivering Green, seeks to reverse those trends and move goods by water, rail and by other more sustainable modes of transportation.

Delivering Green lays out five goals to restructure freight distribution by: encouraging greener and more efficient truck deliveries; increasing the share of goods moved by water, rail, and cargo bicycles; and supporting new technologies to make freight movement more efficient and compliant.

“As our demand for freight continues to increase, we cannot continue the historic mistake of relying on more oversized and polluting diesel trucks to handle the load,” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman. “They destroy our infrastructure, damage the public health and quality of life in our neighborhoods, clog our already overcrowded streets and hasten climate change. We must change course. We have developed a thoughtful blueprint for the next five years to do just that. We are laying out a vision to reclaim New York City’s original highways — our harbor and rivers — to bring goods into the city and shifting to cargo bikes and other small, green vehicles to complete the journey to our doorsteps.”

Local resistance?

The announcement by NY Waterway may draw the ire of Weehawken residents, many of whom have come out against the company’s plans to expand its re-fueling and maintenance facility in the township. The ferries hauling freight to and from the city would need to refuel and undergo maintenance amid the increased usage under the new plan.

Residents have criticized NY Waterway for an alleged lack of transparency about its intentions for the facility, its noise and air pollution, and other issues, mobilizing and forming an opposition group known as Weehawken Residents Against Ferry Pollution. Meanwhile, the ferry operator has defended its plans, stating that it has always been clear about its intentions for the site, claiming that the new configuration would decrease pollution.

Mayor Richard Turner is skeptical of the company’s plan ever coming before the Weehawken Planning Board and voiced his concerns calling it a “difficult sell,” but also encouraged residents not to prejudge an application before its submitted to the board for legal reasons. However, residents remain steadfast in their opposition to NY Waterway and its plans.

Most recently, residents met with state Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, who represents the 33rd Legislative District which encompasses Weehawken, to demonstrate their home’s close proximity to the current facility and voice their concerns about the potential planned expansion.

The resistance to NY Waterway’s plans will surely continue, despite the fact that an application for final site plan review has not yet been heard before the planning board.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Officials reopen Laurel Hill Park after renovations

Hudson Reporter

December 21, 2021

12secpark30 — Officials from the area cut the ribbon reopening the park on Dec. 20.

Officials from the Hudson County Schools of Technology (HCST) and Hudson County held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site of the newly completed Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus on Dec. 20.

The new park was designed by HCST and Neglia Engineering Associates who began the project last winter. The rejuvenation of the approximately three-acre park cost $1.3 million and includes basketball courts, dual tennis and pickleball courts, an outdoor gym and fitness area, passive park path, and an additional open lawn area. It also offers parking for the public, and serves as a student pick-up and drop-off area.

The ribbon cutting celebrated the new park, which was built through a close collaboration between the county, the town of Secaucus, and the school district. Funds for the additions and upgrades were procured through grants. Laurel Hill Park is again open for use by students as well as the public.

The ceremony was attended by HCST Board President and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise’s Chief of Staff Craig Guy, Hudson County Board of Commissioners, Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli, HCST Board of Education members, along with HCST Superintendent Amy Lin-Rodriguez, as well as other school, local and county officials.

“We are so excited to see this project come to fruition,” said DeGise. “Laurel Hill Park was a wonderful collaboration between the County, Mayor Gonnelli, the town of Secaucus, and the District and will be a great addition to the HCST and wider Secaucus community.”

“Laurel Hill Park is such an exciting development on the High Tech High School campus,” said Lin-Rodriguez. “It will serve as a valuable resource for students, as well as being open to the public after school hours. We were able to open the park less than a year after the project began, and are so grateful to Hudson County and everyone involved for their dedication and commitment to getting this done.”

“Laurel Hill Park is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in its conception and development,” said Gonnelli. “The town is committed to serving its residents, and this park will make a concrete impact on the quality of life for HCST students and all of Secaucus.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].

Secaucus council approves directional roadway changes

Hudson Reporter

December 16, 2021

12seccouncil23 — Second Street, pictured here at the intersection of Flanagan Way via Google Maps, will now be a one-way road in the opposite direction.

The Secaucus Town Council has adopted an ordinance changing the direction of some roads in town. According to Town Administrator Gary Jeffas, the changes came after suggestions from the neighborhood.

“Just based on resident requests, and the mayor and councilmen knocking on doors and speaking with the residents, there was just a request to change the one-way directions between First Street and Fourth Street,” Jeffas said. “Now First Street will be coming out towards Flanagan Way. Second Street will going in toward Centre Avenue. Third Street will be coming out toward Flanagan Way, and Fourth Street will be going in toward Centre Avenue.”

The ordinance changes the direction of Second Street between Front Street and Flanagan Way. While that portion of Second Street currently runs toward Flanagan, it will be reversed. Similarly, Fourth Street between Centre Avenue and Front Street and Front Street and Flanagan Way is a two-way road that will now be a one-way toward Centre Avenue.

The move was not being done without consideration for current traffic. Jeffas said the police did a study of the area and this new roadway set up will lead to a “cleaner traffic flow.”

The change will occur over a number of weeks as the town readies its signage and performs any necessary street painting. A notice will go out in advance to those living on the streets affected to make them aware of the date the change will officially occur.

Encouraging electric vehicle parking

Another matter regarding vehicles and traffic was also adopted at the meeting, specifically an ordinance promoting the construction of electric vehicle parking spaces. The ordinance would encourage “electric vehicle supply/service equipment” as well as “make-ready parking spaces,” which are normal parking spaces that can be converted to electric parking spaces later on.

“It requires builders, when they’re constructing, to put in a certain amount of electric vehicle parking spots,” said Jeffas.

The ordinance, based on a model ordinance unveiled by Gov. Phil Murphy, aims to makes it easier for people to drive electric by streamlining the local approval process for installing convenient and cost-effective charging infrastructure. The ordinance provides minimum requirements and consistent guidance for electric vehicle parking.

According to Jeffas, under the ordinance electric vehicles would count for double the parking requirement when developers are constructing parking.

“Under the state guidelines which we adopted, there’s a provision in there that if you put in one electric vehicle parking spot, it would count as two parking spots,” he said. “It helps a builder out, because if you’re building something that requires 50 parking spots, if you put in some electric vehicle spots, they count as two spots.”

In addition, make-ready spots would also count toward the requirement. Overall, Jeffas said it would be a good way to incentivize constructing electric parking spots. The council voted unanimously to approve both ordinances at its Dec. 13 meeting.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at [email protected].