Bill Text: NJ SR47 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Urges Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to formulate engineering and funding solution to impasse at Bayonne Bridge, which is too low to accommodate certain ships.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2010-05-21 - Filed with Secretary of State [SR47 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2010-SR47-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

SENATE RESOLUTION No. 47

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 4, 2010

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator NICHOLAS J. SACCO

District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)

Senator  SANDRA B. CUNNINGHAM

District 31 (Hudson)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Rice and Ruiz

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to formulate engineering and funding solution to impasse at Bayonne Bridge, which is too low to accommodate certain ships.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Transportation Committee on March 18, 2010, with amendments.

  

A Senate Resolution urging the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to formulate an engineering and funding solution to the impasse at the Bayonne Bridge, which is too low to accommodate certain ships.

 

Whereas, The air clearance of the Bayonne Bridge is 151 feet at low tide, which is too low to accommodate many large ships calling on the Port of New York and New Jersey; and

Whereas, After the completion of the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2014, the number of large ships requiring air clearance in excess of 151 feet will grow as more cargo is delivered directly to East Coast ports from Asia; and

Whereas, Eighty-eight percent of containerized cargo is delivered to New York and New Jersey Marine Terminals located west of the Bayonne Bridge; and

Whereas, If the bridge remains too low to accommodate these larger ships, the Port of New York and New Jersey will be put at a competitive disadvantage with ports in Norfolk, Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, for access to new Asian cargo; and

Whereas, The Port of New York and New Jersey supports approximately ¹[27,000] 270,000¹ jobs in the region; and

Whereas, New Jersey could face a loss of jobs and business activity due to the competitive disadvantage caused by restriction of access at the Bayonne Bridge; and

Whereas, The Port Authority has received a study from the Army Corps of Engineers that validates the need to increase the air clearance from 151 feet to at least 215 feet, which is the available air clearance under the Bridge of the Americas on the Panama Canal; and

Whereas, It is important to develop an engineering and funding solution to the impasse at the Bayonne Bridge in time to seek funding support from available federal transportation funding programs; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is urged to formulate an engineering solution to the impasse at the Bayonne Bridge, and a funding plan to support the engineering solution, in time to seek funding support from available federal transportation funding programs.

     2.    Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the Governor of the State of New Jersey, the Governor of the State of New York, the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the President and Minority Leader of the New Jersey Senate, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.

 

     3.    This resolution shall take effect immediately.