Daily News Briefs, May 12, 2025

NJ Turnpike Officials Say Newark Bay Bridge Replacement Is Inevitable

Jersey City Times reports on a conference call New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) officials and consultants held with reporters to discuss the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) they obtained last week for the first project of the $10.7 billion Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Improvements Program. They called the US Coast Guard-issued environmental approval a major milestone in the program. NJTA can now seek permits it needs from the US Army Corps of Engineers and start contracting.

Although a subsequent lane widening phase of the program remains controversial and politically sensitive, NJTA maintains initially planned work — primarily the replacement of the Newark Bay Bridge and other spans between Exits 14 and 14A — is urgently needed for safety reasons. According to supervising engineer Lisa Navarro, the bay bridge is severely deteriorated. “Some are framing this infrastructure program as just a widening, but first and foremost, this program is about safety,” Navarro told reporters. She and her colleagues said the bridge replacement will occur regardless of who is elected to replace the current governor in 2026.

New Jersey Globe reports, following the call, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a leading Democratic candidate for governor and outspoken opponent of the NJTA program, pushed back on the idea that a bridge replacement is inevitable. He argues the state needs more transit and the bridge can be securely restored without being widened, as NJTA proposes. Fulop said litigation “with regard to the process around this project” is forthcoming.

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Roundup Of MTA Congestion Pricing Program News

NJ.com reports, a hearing is tentatively scheduled for May 27 on New York officials’ request for a temporary injunction to block USDOT and Secretary Sean Duffy from imminently terminating federal approval of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) congestion pricing program or following through on threats to withhold project approvals or funds unless tolling ceases. In a letter sent to Governor Kathy Hochul last month, Duffy stated that FHWA would “implement appropriate initial compliance measures on or after May 28” unless the state could show that it was not in violation of federal  standards for pilot tolling projects. An injunction would stay any FHWA action until after the court resolves MTA’s lawsuit challenging federal withdrawal of approval for congestion pricing.

According to The New York Times, “Policy changes often take years to show results. Even then, you may have to squint to see them. And then there is congestion pricing in New York. Almost immediately after the tolls went into effect Jan. 5 . . . they began to alter traffic patterns, commuter behavior, transit service, even the sound of gridlock and the on-time arrival of school buses.” The article is a virtual catalogue of public benefits (and a few neutral outcomes) that have followed the start of tolling. “Evidence has mounted that the program so far is achieving its two main goals — reducing congestion and raising revenue for transit improvements.” The evidence also suggests that congestion reduction is making life better for commuters and city residents outside Manhattan, as well as people who live within the congestion zone.

The Times recently sent reporters door-to-door in one Manhattan neighborhood to evaluate “the changing sentiment among business owners, workers and their customers” about congestion pricing. Of the 40 businesses studied, 25 said tolling has had no significant impact. “Ten said the toll has hurt their business, and four said it has been beneficial. One declined to comment.”

Streetsblog NYC reports, traffic volume on the Cross Bronx Expressway was lower in January and February of this year compared to same period of 2024, according to MTA data contained in a court filing. “The drop follows reporting in Streetsblog and analysis from Sam Schwartz that showed that car and truck drivers were not circumventing the Manhattan toll zone by cutting through Staten Island, Queens or the Bronx, as some congestion pricing opponents — and even the 2022 environmental assessment for congestion pricing — predicted might happen by thousands or even tens of thousands of vehicles.”

Bloomberg notes that MTA recently entered into an agreement with investors to take out a $500 million loan backed by congestion pricing revenue. “The floating-rate borrowing is expected to cost the agency about $20 million in interest and matures in one year, according to court documents filed in MTA’s lawsuit that seeks to continue congestion pricing.” Additional information and a copy of the loan agreement (with redactions) can be found on the MTA website.

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Plenary Says Bad Weather Has Caused Belle Chasse Tolling Delay

NOLA.com dives into what’s holding up the start of Belle Chasse Bridge toll collection near New Orleans. On Friday, officials announced the latest of about 12 postponements that started in early April. A new target date hasn’t been set.

“The delays have nothing to do with bridge structure or safety or tolling equipment,” Angela Noote, a Plenary spokesperson, tells NOLA. “It’s like when you build a house, you have a punch list of minor details. Even though they shouldn’t take that long, when you throw in weather delays, it has a domino effect.”

The delay is costly to Plenary, the state’s partner in the bridge project. It “continues to rack up $10,000 in fines for each day tolling does not start.” Because of construction delays that preceded the bridge’s full opening to traffic in March, state officials estimated that Plenary’s fines exceeded $3.5 million by the end of March.

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These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.

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