New Jersey-2010-AR62-Introduced

An Assembly Resolution respectfully urging the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Federal Transit Administration, and the New Jersey Transit Corporation to work together for a timely completion of the Lackawanna Cutoff rail passenger service restoration project.

Whereas, When the Lackawanna Cutoff was built in the early 1900s, it was considered an engineering marvel and provided freight and passenger service from Scranton, Pennsylvania through the Pocono region of northeastern Pennsylvania into northern New Jersey and ending in Hoboken, New Jersey; and

Whereas, Passenger service on the line ended in 1970 and freight service ended in 1982; and

Whereas, In 2001 the 28 miles of right-of-way in New Jersey were purchased by New Jersey Transit in order to reserve them for the restoration of the rail passenger service; and

Whereas, The populations of the Pocono region in Pennsylvania and Warren and Sussex Counties in New Jersey are growing significantly, and large numbers of these residents are driving or taking bus service into New York City to work; and

Whereas, The restoration of the rail passenger service from northeastern Pennsylvania through northern New Jersey and continuing into New York City would improve the quality of life of those who now undertake these lengthy commutes and would also reduce motor vehicle traffic congestion and its resulting air pollution throughout these areas; and

Whereas, Congress has provided funding for the Lackawanna Cutoff rail passenger service restoration project under the provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU); and

Whereas, New Jersey Transit has submitted the environmental assessment for the New Jersey portion of the restoration project to the Federal Transit Administration and stands ready to proceed with the necessary hearings once the Federal Transit Administration has established the review schedule for the project; and

Whereas, New Jersey Transit plans to begin design work for the New Jersey portion of the project in 2006 and could start construction in 2008 and complete the New Jersey portion in 2011, with rail passenger service beginning in New Jersey by 2012; and

Whereas, It is in the interest of the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey and the commuters who will use the service for this restoration project to progress as quickly as possible; and

Whereas, The Lackawanna Cutoff rail passenger service restoration project can best be completed in its entirety and in a timely manner if all those who have a role in the project work together in a spirit of diligent cooperation and make completion of the project a priority; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Federal Transit Administration, and the New Jersey Transit Corporation are respectfully urged to work together in a spirit of cooperation to complete the Lackawanna Cutoff rail passenger service restoration project and to make the completion of the project a priority.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the Governor and each member of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration in the United States Department of Transportation, and the Chairman of the Board and the Executive Director of the New Jersey Transit Corporation.

STATEMENT

This Assembly resolution respectfully urges the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Federal Transit Administration, and the New Jersey Transit Corporation to work together in a spirit of diligent cooperation to complete the Lackawanna Cutoff rail passenger service restoration project and to make completion of the project a priority. The project will provide rail passenger service from Scranton, Pennsylvania through northern New Jersey and into New York City.

Restoring rail passenger service to these rapidly growing areas will help reduce motor vehicle traffic congestion and its resulting pollution. It is in the interests of the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey and the commuters who will use the service to complete this mass transit project as quickly as possible.