New York will spend up to $250,000 to jump-start the idea of extending the 7 train all the way to Secaucus, N.J. - but New Jersey hasn't pitched in a dime, according to an article by Adam Lisberg in yesterday edition of The New York Daily News.
The article said that the city has hired engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff this week to analyze how many riders the line could serve, how they would connect to the NJTransit train hub in Secaucus and - most importantly - how much it would cost.
Their study is due in three months, which Deputy Mayor Robert Steel said will help show government and transportation agencies in the region whether to go forward. "All of [them are focused on trying to understand, is this a good alternative?" Steel said. "It's a matter of months, not years."
If the subway line is extended to New Jersey, the article said, it give New Jersey residents their first direct train line to Grand Central Terminal, as well as to see the Mets or the U.S. Open in Queens.
"City Hall really does want to explore it," said one person involved in the multiagency talks, the article said, adding that they have "an incredibly reluctant MTA partner, and an incredibly wary New Jersey state government," the source cautioned. "[MTA Chairman Jay Walder doesn't have enough money to finish what they're already doing."
The city is paying $2.1 billion to extend the 7 train to 34th Street and 11th Avenue, where it will serve a massive office and housing development planned for the West Side rail yards. Planners hope the 7 train could be routed under the Hudson River to Secaucus for as little as $5 billion, since the more expensive tunneling under Manhattan is already done. They would also like to dig an extra stop for the 7 at 41st Street and 11th Avenue for $1 billion, which the city dropped from its plans to save money.
The idea came after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie killed the $11 billion project to dig two new commuter train tunnels under the river to Penn Station, saying the Garden State couldn't afford it.
Parsons Brinckerhoff got the no-bid city contract because it also did studies for that tunnel, for the current 7 train extension and for the Secaucus train station.
An article in today's edition by Mr. Lisberg said that "New Jersey is spending money to explore a subway link between Manhattan and Secaucus after all - it just doesn't want people to know about it."
"NJTransit acknowledged yesterday it has directed the engineering firm AECOM to study whether the No. 7 train could be extended to Secaucus. 'We have an existing contract with AECOM and we've asked them to take a look at this for us,' said NJTransit spokeswoman Penny Bassett Hackett. 'We just added the 7 Train extension onto the contract,'" the article said, adding that "a day earlier, NJTransit spokesman Dan Stessel denied any such spending."
The article said that the city has hired engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff this week to analyze how many riders the line could serve, how they would connect to the NJTransit train hub in Secaucus and - most importantly - how much it would cost.
Their study is due in three months, which Deputy Mayor Robert Steel said will help show government and transportation agencies in the region whether to go forward. "All of [them are focused on trying to understand, is this a good alternative?" Steel said. "It's a matter of months, not years."
If the subway line is extended to New Jersey, the article said, it give New Jersey residents their first direct train line to Grand Central Terminal, as well as to see the Mets or the U.S. Open in Queens.
"City Hall really does want to explore it," said one person involved in the multiagency talks, the article said, adding that they have "an incredibly reluctant MTA partner, and an incredibly wary New Jersey state government," the source cautioned. "[MTA Chairman Jay Walder doesn't have enough money to finish what they're already doing."
The city is paying $2.1 billion to extend the 7 train to 34th Street and 11th Avenue, where it will serve a massive office and housing development planned for the West Side rail yards. Planners hope the 7 train could be routed under the Hudson River to Secaucus for as little as $5 billion, since the more expensive tunneling under Manhattan is already done. They would also like to dig an extra stop for the 7 at 41st Street and 11th Avenue for $1 billion, which the city dropped from its plans to save money.
The idea came after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie killed the $11 billion project to dig two new commuter train tunnels under the river to Penn Station, saying the Garden State couldn't afford it.
Parsons Brinckerhoff got the no-bid city contract because it also did studies for that tunnel, for the current 7 train extension and for the Secaucus train station.
An article in today's edition by Mr. Lisberg said that "New Jersey is spending money to explore a subway link between Manhattan and Secaucus after all - it just doesn't want people to know about it."
"NJTransit acknowledged yesterday it has directed the engineering firm AECOM to study whether the No. 7 train could be extended to Secaucus. 'We have an existing contract with AECOM and we've asked them to take a look at this for us,' said NJTransit spokeswoman Penny Bassett Hackett. 'We just added the 7 Train extension onto the contract,'" the article said, adding that "a day earlier, NJTransit spokesman Dan Stessel denied any such spending."
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
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