Hoboken Officials Publicly Oppose $4.7B Turnpike Extension Widening

HOBOKEN, NJ — Several Hoboken council members, including those who sometimes clash with each other politically, have joined forces with environmentalists this week in going on the record to oppose a $4.7 billion Turnpike Extension widening planned for Jersey City.

The administration of Gov. Phil Murphy has argued that the project is needed to replace roadways between Exit 14A and 14C, from Newark to Jersey City, because of decades of damage.

Opponents say that while repairs are necessary, the present plan for the widening will cause pollution, congestion, and other issues in urban neighborhoods in Hudson County.

The roadways lead to the Holland Tunnel, which is just south of Hoboken and along Jersey City's northern border.

Hoboken's Fund for a Better Waterfront, a non-profit advocacy group, said on Wednesday, "Thanks to Ruben Ramos Jr., Hoboken Emily [Jabbour] and Councilman Quintero for sponsoring a resolution on tonight's Hoboken City Council agenda opposing the $4.7 billion expansion of the NJ Turnpike Extension in Jersey City."

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop has also opposed the widening.

FBW said this week, "The outcome if this toxic proposal were to move forward can only be more of the same: increased asthma rates for the many children that live and attend school adjacent to the Turnpike, cut-through traffic that congests and endangers local streets, and acceleration of an already fast-burning climate change fire."

The resolution on the Hoboken City Council agenda Wednesday called for the Hoboken City Council to oppose the project for several reasons:

• "Gas fired vehicles generate toxic pollutants — particulate matter, known asPM 2.5, and ground level ozone — that are especially harmful to our most vulnerable citizens including the elderly, children, and asthma sufferers."
• The American Lung Association already gives Hudson County an F grade with respect to high ozone days
• The NJTA has failed to show that it has explored alternative means to reducing traffic congestion
• The billions of dollars to be spent on the Turnpike Expansion could be usedto fund other transportation and infrastructure projects.

The resolution states that the city "urges Governor Murphy to direct NJTA to halt any further work on the Turnpike Expansion and to immediately undertake a comprehensive climate and economic analysis of the best ways to improve transportation in Jersey City and the region."

FBW said this week that environmental groups would like to see the money go instead to mass transit, freight rail, and "complete streets," like the Essex-Hudson Greenway, the Bergen Arches, and Jersey City's Sixth Street Embankment.

The NJ Turnpike Authority has said they have taken steps to comply with pollution reduction goals.

Hoboken's meeting can be viewed at 7 p.m. Wednesday, or afterward via video, here.