Representatives from NJ Transit and the ferry service NY Waterway appeared before the Weehawken Planning Board Tuesday night to make a formal presentation on a proposed new ferry terminal along Port Imperial Boulevard.
The new terminal will be built as part of a public/private partnership between the two transportation agencies, and when completed in 2004, it will enable the Weehawken waterfront to transform into a major public transportation hub.
The terminal will replace the existing Port Imperial ferry terminal, which in turn will be replaced by part of a mixed-use development. The new terminal will be further north on the waterfront.
The new terminal is expected to cost $25 million to build, with NJ Transit supplying the funding. Without a public agency like NJ Transit involved, the project would not be able to secure federal funding from the Department of Transportation.
After the terminal is built, NY Waterway will be in charge of maintaining the terminal. And because it will then be run by a private enterprise, the township of Weehawken will be able to collect annual real estate taxes on the property, which are currently estimated at $300,000 annually.
The two transportation agencies came to the Planning Board to make a presentation and conduct a public hearing, complete with comments and concerns from residents.
Considering that it is a public agency with federal support, NJ Transit did not have to comply with any local Planning Board statutes and hold the forum. However, as part of an original agreement with the township of Weehawken, both agencies made their presentations public without any regulations to do so.
"Although we didn’t have to abide by any laws and we have the authority to advance the project without any local approval, we felt it was important to present the plan to the people and the Planning Board," said Herman Volk, NJ Transit’s assistant executive director in charge of corporate communications and community affairs. "We wanted to be sensitive to the needs and concerns of the people of Weehawken. We wanted to provide as much information as possible."
Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner believed it was essential to have the residents involved in the process.
"When it became obvious that NJ Transit was going to be a part of building the new ferry terminal, we had three major concerns," Turner said. "We had to make sure that there was a presentation made to the public, that we preferred to have the operation handled by a private company and that the plan would be contingent on the town receiving full taxation for the property. It is a significant ratable. This meeting didn’t happen by accident. We made a commitment to insure that the people of Weehawken would have a voice."
Although the deal seems unique, combining a public entity (NJ Transit) with a private business (NY Waterway), it has not been all that uncommon since the federal government passed the Public/Private Partnership Act of 1997.
"We have a number of public/private partnerships," said Don Liloia, a vice-president for NY Waterway. "We’ve also had them with NJ Transit. But this is the first time that we’ve handled a partnership of this size. We’re excited about it. It’s a win for NY Waterway, a win for NJ Transit and a win for Weehawken."
Buses will stop there
According to the plans, the new ferry terminal will move around the harbor and a little north of its current location. That will enable more ferry access to and from the area. It will also be within close proximity to the station slated for NJ Transit’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system.
There will also be new bus lanes that will enable NJ Transit buses to make their way to the ferry terminal, which means more public transportation opportunities for commuters to and from Manhattan.
Commuters will then have the option of taking the Light Rail to the ferry, taking buses to the ferry, or walking to the ferry. The goal of the new transportation hub is to cut down on the amount of vehicular traffic in the area.
"We’re going to be providing another opportunity for people to get out of their cars and use public transportation," Volk said. "There is public benefit to be gained at that location. We’ve found out, especially with recent events, that the ferry service is a good means of transportation. With everything else that is going on there, we’re going to be able to provide a lot of answers for commuters."
NJ TRANSIT has already secured the services of New York architectural firm Gruzen Samton to provide the plans for the project. Jordan Gruzen presented the plans at the meeting. Enrico Paternostro will be the project manager for construction of the new terminal.
"Once we secure the permits from the necessary agencies, like the state and federal DEP and the Army Corps of Engineers, we should be able to begin construction sometime in the summer of 2002," Paternostro said. "And we hope to have the terminal up and running by 2004. Right now, we have about 30 percent of the design phase completed."
NJ Transit said that it plans to include ideas from the public as part of the project. Volk said that the terminal will have rooftop landscaping to give people looking down from the Palisades a nicer view than if they only saw concrete structures.
"We’re also going to make sure that the terminal does not impact the view corridor from above," Volk said. "We know how much the view is important to the people of Weehawken. I think we’re all very excited about the project."
Liloia agreed.
"It is a big step for our company," Liloia said. "It’s going to allow us to operate more efficiently, increase the number of ferries, decrease our trip times and enable us to move more people across the river. It will also alleviate crowding at the terminal and cut down on the distance people walk to and from the terminal. Neither group could have taken on this project by itself. We needed the assistance of each other."
Liloia credited Rep. Robert Menendez (D-13th Dist.) for being instrumental in securing the partnership between the two entities.
"He was the first to secure the federal funding and drew the partnership together," Liloia said of the Union City-based congressman.
Turner said that he was excited at the enhanced transportation options offered by the project.
"Since 1985, Weehawken has been an integral part of mass transportation," Turner said. "The new ferry terminal will be very close to the Light Rail station. It will be a modern facility with higher capacities. To get two major mass transit operations to work together is a significant achievement. Every person that we can get out of their car will be a major improvement to our quality of life in Weehawken."
Added Turner, "It’s been talked about for a long time, but now, we can see it coming to fruition. All the planning, all the designs, coming together in a capital project. It’s a win-win for Weehawken residents."
Once the design plans are finalized, there will be another public meeting for residents to issue concerns and comments about the project. Paternostro believes that the second public meeting will be held sometime in the spring of 2002.