The county would like to take over a private footbridge over the Viaduct in Union City, but this would be contingent of getting funds to rebuild it, said County Administrator Abe Antun at the Freeholder Caucus meeting on Aug 9.
Until the opening of the Hudson/Bergen Light Rail elevator at Cottage Avenue two blocks away, the bridge had been used primarily by residents of the Doric Apartment Building to cross from east to west in order to access Washington Park. Washington Park is on the Union City/Jersey City border.
But with the opening of the train station, the bridge – which has deteriorated greatly over the last year – has taken on a greater public use. Residents from the neighborhood cross it in order to avoid crossing the south wing of the 14th Street Viaduct with its heavy traffic.
There is a need for immediate repairs to keep the bridge in a safe and stable condition, Antun said.
The county would take it over and possibly replace it, but only if needed funds are in place. The new bridge would then be upgraded to become handicap accessible, which it is not currently.
Under the agreement with the property owners at the Doric, either the county or Union City would have the right to purchase the bridge for $1 in exchange for repairing or replacing it.
Freeholder Bill O’Dea questioned the wisdom of passing a resolution that would declare the county’s intentions to take over the bridge until some means of paying for the project were in place.
Freeholder Chairman Sal Vega said the county is aware of the cost of repairs, but said funds are being sought from state Department of Transportation grants.
“If the bridge is used to access the light rail, then we have a better chance of getting the funds,” he said.
Antun said the county has already applied for money for the new bridge, but the state rejected the effort.
“We intend to try again,” he said, suggesting that the Light Rail use may sway the state.
Freeholders to okay park plans
O’Dea said he would like the freeholders’ Public Resources Committee to get a better look at a different project in Union City, one to which the county is donating $100,000.
County Administrator Abe Antun said the county is giving Union City some of the funds for a project including a soccer field in Washington Park.
Under this resolution, the freeholders would authorize the county Department of Public Resources to allocate the money as part of an interlocal agreement with Union City. The proposed park would be built on the east side of New York Avenue – property owned by the county and leased to Union City.
The city has already received approval from the county Planning Board, with Union City overseeing the construction.
Freeholder Chairman Sal Vega said the resolution requires Union City to submit the plans to the county engineer for his recommendations and approvals. Based on his report, the freeholders could give their blessing to the project.
We want bus money!
The Board of Freeholders was asked once again to approve a deal that would allow municipalities to benefit from the construction of bus shelters on county roads. Individual towns sometimes get advertising revenues from the bus shelters, after making deals with the bus companies.
But Freeholder Bill O’Dea said the county should be looking into making deals of its own, since some shelters are on county roads.
O’Dea said the county should put together a package that might include a county-wide deal from the southernmost end in Bayonne to the northernmost reaches of the county in North Bergen.
“We also should be looking to make certain that the towns are getting the best deals possible [for the deals they’re already doing],” he said.
The municipalities get very little revenue from the deals, Hudson County Administrator Abe Antun said. Additionally, the way it is now, NJ Transit builds shelters, but leaves maintenance and repair up to the towns.
“The way it is now, NJ Transit won’t give a town any money and if a shelter is damaged, won’t fix it,” said Freeholder Chairman Sal Vega.
The discussion was prompted by a request from Union City, which has a deal for 25 shelters, with 13 of them on county roads. The city would receive about $100 each a year for 10 years, with the company having the option of renewing the contract for another 10 years.
House in Jersey City
The sale of a house confiscated by the Hudson County’s Prosecutor’s office may look like a great deal since the minimum bid is merely $100, but don’t be fooled into thinking so.
According to Donato Battista, the counsel for the county executive, the house has a significant number of liens on it that any potential buyer would have pay, the costs which are significant.
The low minimum bid, Bastista said, was to encourage someone to purchase the property and deal with the liens.
O’Dea, in questioning this resolution and another approving a recent auction of other property, asked that the county adopt a time frame for which new owners must bring property up to acceptable building codes, and suggested the county adopt something similar to the schedule that is currently in place in Jersey City.
“We need to make certain that the new owner will fix the place up and not let it sit,” he said.
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