Waterfront transportation needed for NJ, Gov. says

Real Estate Weekly, May 22, 2002 by Elaine Misonzhnik

According to the New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevy, the Garden State needs an extensive water transportation system to revitalize its economy. Speaking at the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance's conference on May 15, McGreevy called for an increase in ferry services and the creation of an extensive trade rout corridor on the Hudson River.

"New Jersey's urban waterfront needs to be the center piece of growth," he noted. "It is our collective responsibility to improve public access to the waterfront, support the maritime economy, and expand ferry transportation."

Citing the damage caused to the environment by car fuel emissions, McGreevy argued that using water to transport commercial products would improve air quality and relieve congestion on the highways, as well as providing New Jersey with a much-needed economic boost.

"We should establish an inter-modal corridor on the Hudson River that will foster economic development," he said. "And we are providing the necessary funds to improve planning for this project. We just put $5 million toward this end this year."

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the government of the State of New Jersey are currently in discussions as to how to create this water transportation system with maximum economic benefits and minimum environmental risks, McGreevey said.

The governor also talked about the creation of public walkways along New Jersey's rivers, a development he says would significantly reduce traffic.

"We need to understand the importance of making the Hudson riverfront walkway a reality," he said. "This will reduce congestion at the Holland and Lincoln tunnels, provide residents with access to the waterfront, and create additional public space."

According to the governor, once the walkway is completed it would stretch for 18.5 miles, becoming part of the East Coast green way and laying out a bicycle path from New Jersey to Main.

In closing, the McGreevey noted that the development of the New Jersey waterfront could benefit the entire region.

"We need to work together," he said. "We need to understand that the success of the New Jersey waterfront is tied to the success of Lower Manhattan and they are interdependent."