PA NY/NJ Meeting Agenda

Resolution on Agenda: Bayonne Bridge – Navigational Clearance Program – Increase in Planning Authorization and Authorization to Increase an Existing Professional Services Agreement

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Crackin’ the Bottom « tugster: a waterblog

Crackin’ the Bottom « tugster: a waterblog: Bridge photo.

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Bayonne Retro: The Bayonne Bridge

Bayonne Retro: The Bayonne Bridge:

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New Setback for Moynihan Station Plans - WSJ.com

New Setback for Moynihan Station Plans - WSJ.com: "Still to come this spring is the second half of that audit, which will review funding for a number of high-profile infrastructure projects—including replacing the Goethals Bridge, raising the level of the Bayonne Bridge and cable repairs on the George Washington Bridge—and the status of Moynihan Station."

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Blasting to begin in Newark Bay near Bayonne | NJ.com

Blasting to begin in Newark Bay near Bayonne | NJ.com: "The drilling is part of the Army Corps of Engineers' New York/New Jersey Harbor Deepening Project, intended to create deeper shipping lanes in Newark Bay and other local bodies of water."

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Will Michael Grimm Reject the House GOP Attack on His Constituents? | Streetsblog New York City

Will Michael Grimm Reject the House GOP Attack on His Constituents? | Streetsblog New York City: "Grimm also says he wants to see light rail across the Bayonne Bridge."

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Port Authority promises reforms, but no rollback in toll hikes | The Asbury Park Press NJ | APP.com

Port Authority promises reforms, but no rollback in toll hikes | The Asbury Park Press NJ | APP.com: "In a press conference before the Thursday meeting, Port Authority officials said the call by Assemblywoman Valarie Huttle, D-Bergen, to roll back the September toll increase cannot be done because of the need for money to fix three bridges."

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Feb. 12 — 18 - NYTimes.com

Feb. 12 — 18 - NYTimes.com: "You probably don’t think much about those cargo containers that you see stacked up on ships, piers and freight trains. But the people who manage the harbors of New York and New Jersey have been thinking about them a lot in recent years, because the growth in cargo-container shipping has created an expensive problem for them: containers are sometimes stacked so high that big ships can’t pass under the Bayonne Bridge, which connects New Jersey and Staten Island. A plan to raise the bridge by 64 feet is on the boards, with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey pledging $1 billion for the project. And that is just one small consequence of container shipping worldwide. “THE FORGOTTEN SPACE,” a film by Allan Sekula and Noël Burch that opens on Wednesday at Anthology Film Archives, seeks to explore the changes that this type of shipping has wrought."

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Scathing Port Authority audit report seen as 'smoking gun' that shows agency's incompetence | SILive.com

Scathing Port Authority audit report seen as 'smoking gun' that shows agency's incompetence | SILive.com: "Staten Island lawmakers believe the caustic audit of the Port Authority is the ammunition they need to roll back the toll hikes implemented last summer."

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Lawmakers from N.J. and N.Y. outraged over Port Authority spending, call for rollback of toll hike | NJ.com

Lawmakers from N.J. and N.Y. outraged over Port Authority spending, call for rollback of toll hike | NJ.com: "Lanza and Huttle have sponsored twin bills in the two states that would require additional public hearings before each of the remaining four increments of the toll hike takes effect. Approval in both states, including the governors’ signature, is required to enact Port Authority legislation."

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Confirmed: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Is Dysfunctional -- Daily Intel

Confirmed: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Is Dysfunctional -- Daily Intel: ""Navigant Consulting, Inc.’s preliminary review revealed a challenged and dysfunctional organization suffering from a lack of consistent leadership, a siloed underlying bureaucracy, poorly coordinated capital planning process, insufficient cost controls and a lack of transparent and effective oversight of the World Trade Center program that has obscured full awareness of billions of dollars in exposure to the Port Authority." — Auditors on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, stopping just short of calling the organization a cesspool of incompetent, detestable humans, in a memo that called for a “top-to-bottom overhaul.""

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Eastern ports scramble to prepare for new Panama Canal era - Business - Wire - Macon.com

Eastern ports scramble to prepare for new Panama Canal era - Business - Wire - Macon.com: "To prepare, New York and New Jersey plan to elevate a bridge that, as it stands now, would block taller container ships. Georgia's governor proposed selling nearly $47 million in bonds to deepen Savannah's harbor. Baltimore is finishing work on a bigger berth and larger cranes to offload the next class of "post-Panamax" vessels."

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2 Staten Island pols sponsor bill for significant Port Authority reforms | SILive.com

2 Staten Island pols sponsor bill for significant Port Authority reforms | SILive.com: "Lanza and Cusick have also called for a roll back of tolls on PA bridges to $2.27 -- the amount they say it actually costs the bi-state agency per car. "

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Seven Seas 4 « tugster: a waterblog

Seven Seas 4 « tugster: a waterblog:

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State transportation officials working to re-light streetlamps on the Pulaski Skyway | NJ.com

State transportation officials working to re-light streetlamps on the Pulaski Skyway | NJ.com: "State officials say 71 of the Skyway’s 132-plus lights are not functioning, while Assemblyman Sean Connors, who has been pressing the DOT to correct the issue, says the number is as high as 108."

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Bayonne Retro: The Bayonne Bridge (History)

Bayonne Retro: The Bayonne Bridge (History): "In the early years of the twentieth century, pressure grew inevitably for a bridge linking Staten Island with the Bayonne Peninsula. Planners expected that the bridge would follow the route of the ferry, since the construction of the bridge and its approaches would involve the least amount of destruction to taxable property, and would be most convenient to major street connections on both sides of the Kill van Kull."

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Walking the Bayonne Bridge #3, Bayonne, NJ, 2012 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Walking the Bayonne Bridge #3, Bayonne, NJ, 2012 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!:

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Mixed reaction, as just 451 Staten Islanders sign up for Port Authority toll discount | SILive.com

Mixed reaction, as just 451 Staten Islanders sign up for Port Authority toll discount | SILive.com: "Only 451 Staten Islanders have signed up for the Port Authority's new frequency-based toll discount since the agency formally announced plans for it more than two weeks ago."

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E-ZPass discounts begin for Staten Island bridge commuters | 7online.com

E-ZPass discounts begin for Staten Island bridge commuters | 7online.com: "Starting Wednesday, E-ZPass users with non-commercial plates who enroll in the plan will pay $47.50 for 10 trips in a 30-day period. That's $4.75 a trip, for a 50 percent savings. The standard peak toll rate without the discount is $9.50."

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bayonne bridge | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

bayonne bridge | Flickr - Photo Sharing!:

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Talking tolls | SILive.com

Talking tolls | SILive.com: "Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s second in command, Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, was on Staten Island the other night, and clearly, a big part of his mission was to reassure residents of this borough that we have the governor’s attention on the issue of tolls. "

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Bayonne Bridge - New York, NY

Bayonne Bridge - New York, NY: A Yelp review of the bridge.

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MTA chair won't say no to future V-N toll hikes | SILive.com

MTA chair won't say no to future V-N toll hikes | SILive.com: "At $13, the Verrazano Bridge is the most expensive crossing in America, and although Lhota said he is "sympathetic" to Islanders' situation, he saw "no plan" to put a cap on toll increases, with hikes slated for next year and 2015."

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Bayonne Retro: The Bayonne Bridge

Bayonne Retro: The Bayonne Bridge: "Construction Photos "

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Bridge Pack Minecraft Project

Bridge Pack Minecraft Project: A 1:4 scale virtual model of the Bayonne Bridge.

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Bayonne Bridge calendar | SILive.com

Bayonne Bridge calendar | SILive.com: "Your toll dollars at work: It could be argued that every bridge ought to be recognized when it turns 80. But some question how the Port Authority could publish a full-color Bayonne Bridge calendar on the heels of a toll increase. Two thousand copies were distributed to the offices of several Island politicians. If you didn't get your copy, don't bother checking your mailbox. They were for VIPS, not for workaday toll-payers."

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Google Reader (730)

Google Reader (730): "Building a new structure twice as wide as the current Tappan Zee Bridge could create a financial black hole, where people who never use the bridge end up paying for its construction."

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Random Tugs 86 « tugster: a waterblog

Random Tugs 86 « tugster: a waterblog:

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Staten Island toll relief 'on radar,' says Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy | SILive.com

Staten Island toll relief 'on radar,' says Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy | SILive.com: "Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy said Staten Island — and its one-of-a-kind bridge toll burden — is on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “radar.” "

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Lower cost E-ZPass plan to go into effect for Bayonne, Goethals bridges, Outerbridge Crossing | NJ.com

Lower cost E-ZPass plan to go into effect for Bayonne, Goethals bridges, Outerbridge Crossing | NJ.com: " "If people make as few as six trips a month, they will reap some savings.""

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Port Authority executive: 'President Obama gets it' | NJ.com

Port Authority executive: 'President Obama gets it' | NJ.com: ""President Obama gets it," Patrick Foye said in a statement released by the Port Authority a day after the president’s State of the Union speech. "Today I strongly applaud the president’s initiative to clear away red tape that slows down critical projects like the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York State, and our two bistate projects at the Goethals and Bayonne bridges.""

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Names 14 « tugster: a waterblog

Names 14 « tugster: a waterblog:

http://tugster.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/names-14/

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Exclusive: Staten Island legislators got talking points from gov on P.A. toll hike | SILive.com

Exclusive: Staten Island legislators got talking points from gov on P.A. toll hike | SILive.com: "P.A. chairman Patrick Foye is slated to meet with several Island lawmakers in the coming days to discuss the toll issue, including Lanza, Ms. Malliotakis and Oddo."

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The toll 'discount' hoax | SILive.com

The toll 'discount' hoax | SILive.com: "And here’s the real kicker: Despite the hoopla attending the announcement, it won’t make any difference for most Staten Island drivers. Let’s be blunter: They’re trying to put one over on residents of this borough."

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Exclusive: Staten Island legislators got talking points from gov on P.A. toll hike | SILive.com

Exclusive: Staten Island legislators got talking points from gov on P.A. toll hike | SILive.com:

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E-ZPass commuters to save 50% on tolls on 3 Staten Island bridges | Economy | NewJerseyNewsroom.com -- Your State. Your News.

E-ZPass commuters to save 50% on tolls on 3 Staten Island bridges | Economy | NewJerseyNewsroom.com -- Your State. Your News.: "E-ZPass users with non-commercial plates who enroll in the plan will pay $47.50 for 10 trips in a 30-day period, costing them $4.75 a trip, a 50 percent savings. The standard E-ZPass peak toll rate without the discount plan is $9.50."

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Tenants Needed for Tower 3 at Ground Zero or Building Will Be Capped - WNYC

Tenants Needed for Tower 3 at Ground Zero or Building Will Be Capped - WNYC: "Lifting the Bayonne Bridge so the Kill Van Kull can accommodate the next generation of supertankers."

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E-ZPass discount Staten Island bridge commuters start February 1 | 7online.com

E-ZPass discount Staten Island bridge commuters start February 1 | 7online.com: "The plan was developed at the request of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo following the August 2011 toll increase."

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E-ZPass Drivers Who Commute Between Staten Island, New Jersey With Non-Commercial Plates May Save Money Starting February 1 « CBS New York

E-ZPass Drivers Who Commute Between Staten Island, New Jersey With Non-Commercial Plates May Save Money Starting February 1 « CBS New York: "Beginning Feb. 1, E-ZPass users with non-commercial plates who enroll in the plan will pay $47.50 for 10 trips in a 30-day period. That’s $4.75 a trip for a 50 percent savings. The standard peak toll rate without the discount is $9.50."

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From the folks who raise tolls, a free gift | SILive.com

From the folks who raise tolls, a free gift | SILive.com: "A 28-page wall calendar commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Bayonne Bridge -- Nov. 15 of last year -- has been published by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the same agency that raised tolls last year because it originally said it needed money to help rebuild the World Trade Center site. "

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Cape Liberty New Jersey Profile

Cape Liberty New Jersey Profile: "The port is located at the former Bayonne Military Ocean Terminal (which has now been renamed the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor) and began operations in 2004. Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey."

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P.A.'s frequency-based toll discount starts Feb. 1 | SILive.com

P.A.'s frequency-based toll discount starts Feb. 1 | SILive.com: "Users of the Outerbridge Crossing and Goethals and Bayonne bridges with non-commercial license plates can apply for the 50 percent discount through E-ZPass, which will allow them 10 crossings in a 30-day period at a rate of $4.75 -- half of the $9.50 peak-travel time toll with E-ZPass. The cash toll is $12. "

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Ex-Port Authority director joins construction firm looking to replace Goethals Bridge | NJ.com

Ex-Port Authority director joins construction firm looking to replace Goethals Bridge | NJ.com: "Having stepped down in October as executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Christopher Ward has been hired by a Spanish construction firm that hopes to partner with Ward’s old agency on a new Goethals Bridge."

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Virginia port's ability to compete for megaships called into doubt – DC Velocity

Virginia port's ability to compete for megaships called into doubt – DC Velocity: "In the meantime, the New York/New Jersey port authorities are working on a $1 billion project to raise the 151-foot-tall Bayonne (N.J.) Bridge connecting New York and New Jersey by an additional 64 feet to provide adequate clearance for the mega-containerships expected to transit the expanded canal. The work is scheduled to be completed by 2016. The project is part of a multibillion dollar effort that will include deepening the port's channels to 50 feet from their current depth of 45 feet."

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Gov. Cuomo proposes to reinstate toll rebate for Broad Channel and Rockaway residents - NY Daily News

Gov. Cuomo proposes to reinstate toll rebate for Broad Channel and Rockaway residents - NY Daily News: "Gov. Cuomo proposed reinstating a program to allow locals to drive over the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge for free in his 2012-2013 state Executive Budget released Tuesday."

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Port Authority hurts Staten island with tolls—Michael Grimm - NYPOST.com

Port Authority hurts Staten island with tolls—Michael Grimm - NYPOST.com: "Meanwhile, the PA is moving ahead with plans to raise the Bayonne Bridge to allow for bigger ships and more trade to “local ports” — but the toll hikes guarantee all that new business, and the jobs and tax revenue that accompany it, will go to New Jersey."

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Staten Islanders are captive audience of the Port Authority | SILive.com

Staten Islanders are captive audience of the Port Authority | SILive.com: "The numbers on the Port Authority's three Island crossings prove it. Motorists are using the Outerbridge, Bayonne and Goethals spans just as much as they had been before the hike.
The reason, local officials say, is simple: Borough residents don't have the options New Jersey residents have -- rail service -- essentially holding the Island hostage to the bi-state agency's decisions."

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Report suggests continuing rebound in N.J. industrial market - NJBIZ

Report suggests continuing rebound in N.J. industrial market - NJBIZ: "“We’re still going to have a level of growth. I think everyone is still staying optimistic that the Bayonne Bridge will be raised in time, coinciding with the Panama Canal expansion being completed in 2014,” Jenco said."

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N.Y.-N.J. Port Will Sell $400M - The Bond Buyer Article

N.Y.-N.J. Port Will Sell $400M - The Bond Buyer Article: "The authority has about $13 billion in outstanding debt. It takes in roughly $3.5 billion in annual revenues generated from the George Washington, Goethals, Bayonne and Outerbridge Crossing bridges, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, New York City’s three primary airports, the Port Authority Trans-Hudson light rail and train systems to New Jersey and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan."

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New MTA Chairman: New Ideas Or Same Old Politics? | Sheepshead Bay News Blog

New MTA Chairman: New Ideas Or Same Old Politics? | Sheepshead Bay News Blog: "Building a busway instead of light rail will mean that a direct light rail trip over the Bayonne Bridge will never be possible."

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Traffic accident with injuries shuts down Route 440 southbound near Bayonne Bridge | NJ.com

Traffic accident with injuries shuts down Route 440 southbound near Bayonne Bridge | NJ.com: "A vehicle accident in Bayonne caused an unknown number of injuries and has shut down the southbound lanes of Route 440 tonight near the Bayonne Bridge, police and the state department of transportation website said."

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Cape Liberty New Jersey Profile

Cape Liberty New Jersey Profile: "The Bayonne Bridge is the third longest steel arch bridge in the world, and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion in 1931."

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Bayonne Bridge - Castleton Corners - Staten Island, NY

Bayonne Bridge - Castleton Corners - Staten Island, NY: A Yelp "review" of the bridge.

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Port's authority: New York and New Jersey gaining on West Coast ports | NJ.com

Port's authority: New York and New Jersey gaining on West Coast ports | NJ.com: "In New York and New Jersey, officials are in the midst of a $1 billion project to raise the Bayonne Bridge to allow the taller ships into Newark’s port, and Port Authority Chairman David Samson said preliminary construction could start as soon as this spring."

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New MTA head Joe Lhota advises Staten Island he is sympathetic, but agency is broke | SILive.com

New MTA head Joe Lhota advises Staten Island he is sympathetic, but agency is broke | SILive.com: "Looking ahead, he said the MTA is "evaluating the viability" of a North Shore rail line that would link up with light-rail service across the Bayonne Bridge. But he said he deems a bus rapid transit system more economical for the North Shore than rail."

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Bayonne Bridge Reflections | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Bayonne Bridge Reflections | Flickr - Photo Sharing!:

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S.I. Business Owners Call For Discounted Tolls On Port Authority Bridges - NY1.com

S.I. Business Owners Call For Discounted Tolls On Port Authority Bridges - NY1.com: "Though a new plan will provide some relief to residents struggling with recent Port Authority toll hikes, commercial vehicles won't be eligible, and business owners say they need help handling the higher costs. NY1’s Amanda Farinacci filed the following report."

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Maritime Professional - Shenzhen unveils plans for the heavyweight champion of logistics parks

Maritime Professional - Shenzhen unveils plans for the heavyweight champion of logistics parks: "But US$45 billion! Stone the crows. If you added the funding wanted by the ports of Savannah and Charleston to deepen their waterways to the money required to raise New York-New Jersey’s Bayonne Bridge, and then threw in the entire Army Corps of Engineers’ 2012 water resources and environment budget for good measure, you would still have US$38 billion left over."

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Longshoremen rally against dock automation eliminating N.J. jobs | NJ.com

Longshoremen rally against dock automation eliminating N.J. jobs | NJ.com: "Some 27,000 longshoremen worked the region’s docks before the use of bus-sized, steel containers revolutionized the shipping trade in the mid 1960s.
The number of local longshoreman has since dwindled to about 3,500."

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NJ - Port Jersey Terminal expanding, big time

NJ - Port Jersey Terminal expanding, big time: "This has the potential to substantially juice the flow of containers on rail out of Newark, if they can resolve the issue of the Bayonne bridge blocking the largest container ships. "

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Port Authority pays $156K in severance to lawyer replaced by Paula Dow | NJ.com

Port Authority pays $156K in severance to lawyer replaced by Paula Dow | NJ.com: "A continuing political standoff over judicial appointments looks likely to cost commuters more than $156,000 — on the heels of a toll hike of up to 50 percent imposed in the fall."

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Port Authority fights back against 2 retirees suing over toll perks | NJ.com

Port Authority fights back against 2 retirees suing over toll perks | NJ.com: "Executive Director Patrick Foye says he's asking New York and New Jersey tax authorities to investigate whether the retirees owe taxes, interest and penalties on the free benefits they received until the program was discontinued Jan. 1."

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Bridgemeister - Bayonne Bridge

Bridgemeister - Bayonne Bridge:

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Where's that toll discount, P.A.? | SILive.com

Where's that toll discount, P.A.? | SILive.com: "So, where is it? "

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The Race To Dig Deeper Ports For Bigger Cargo Ships : NPR

The Race To Dig Deeper Ports For Bigger Cargo Ships : NPR: "In New York, the port is deep enough, but there's another problem: the Bayonne Bridge, which is currently too low to allow the new container-laden ships to pass. To fix that, the Port Authority is planning to raise the bridge 64 feet — a job that will take more than $1 billion and five years to complete."

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With Panama Canal expanding, U.S. cities plan similar port development

With Panama Canal expanding, U.S. cities plan similar port development: "Aside from digging deeper ports, cities are also contending with other engineering dilemmas. In New York, for example, the Port Authority is planning to raise the Bayonne Bridge by 64 feet, as it is currently too low to allow the freight vessels of tomorrow to pass through. The bridge-raising project is projected to take five years to complete, and it carries a $1 billion price tag"

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Aging train bridge linking Newark and New York stuck open for three hours | NJ.com

Aging train bridge linking Newark and New York stuck open for three hours | NJ.com: "In April, $38.5 million in federal funds were assigned for design work to replace the often-stuck bridge.
The replacement project for a higher, fixed-structure bridge has been estimated to cost around $720 million."

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Port Authority Looks Forward To Future Growth | njtoday.net – Everything New Jersey

Port Authority Looks Forward To Future Growth | njtoday.net – Everything New Jersey: "And we are continuing our initiative to raise the roadway of the Bayonne Bridge to make sure we can accommodate the new, larger ships that want to call the Port of NY & NJ once the Panama Canal improvements are completed in a few years. This project is now in the design stage and will begin construction in the near future."

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Dredging has begun in Arthur Kill channel off Bayonne as port deepening project continues | NJ.com

Dredging has begun in Arthur Kill channel off Bayonne as port deepening project continues | NJ.com: "Blasting will not be done before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m., according to Wisemiller, who added that work will also cease on Sundays and federal holidays."

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Daily poll: Should Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J.'s retired employees get free lifetime passes for bridge and tunnel crossings? | NJ.com

Daily poll: Should Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J.'s retired employees get free lifetime passes for bridge and tunnel crossings? | NJ.com: "Westfield retired from the Port Authority police force in 1998. He says in the suit that Port Authority voted in November 2010 to eliminate the former employees' perk of free tolls on bridges and tunnels, and canceling free parking at airports the Port Authority manages."

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Blasting, part of Kill van Kull dredging project, raises Staten Islanders' fears, damage complaints | SILive.com

Blasting, part of Kill van Kull dredging project, raises Staten Islanders' fears, damage complaints | SILive.com: "Residents of Mariners Harbor say they are feeling the impact of a project to deepen the Kill Van Kull -- several residents say that cracks in the foundations of their homes are the result of a dredging project that involves blasting. "

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Courthouse News Service

Courthouse News Service: " A retired police officer filed a class action against the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for revoking Port Authority retirees' rights to free tolls for life.

Thomas Westfield claims the Port Authority "unilaterally revoked [his] promised right to free passage at its Hudson River vehicular crossings," a right that "had been promised upon starting employment at the Port Authority," as "a lifetime benefit.""

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Hudson Reporter - A city in change Bayonne held its own in 2011

Hudson Reporter - A city in change Bayonne held its own in 2011: "Plans for raising the height of the Bayonne Bridge were unveiled in early January, to the relief of residents and local officials who had feared loss of their property. The existing bridge imposed a severe impediment to shipping, which is the region’s principle industry. New cargo ships due to begin arriving in the area after the opening of the newly-widened Panama Canal would not be able to fit under the bridge. By year’s end, Port Authority officials said the plans were ahead of schedule for work to raise the roadbed.

The bridge celebrated its 80th birthday this year, a significant milestone for historians who noted that its construction coincided with some of the other great engineering achievements of the 1930s, such as the George Washington Bridge and The Empire State Building."

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Proposed bill would give feds authority to roll back Port Authority toll hikes | NJ.com

Proposed bill would give feds authority to roll back Port Authority toll hikes | NJ.com: "Setting the stage for a political showdown, two U.S. lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill today that would give the federal transportation secretary authority to roll back toll increases imposed by agencies that receive federal funds."

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Choose the top Staten Island news stories of 2011 | SILive.com

Choose the top Staten Island news stories of 2011 | SILive.com: "The Port Authority of New York and Jew Jersey pushes through a large, controversial multiyear toll increase, which will see commuters paying a total increase of $4.50 through 2015 on the Outerbridge Crossing and the Bayonne and Goethals bridges

Transportation makes headlines: MTA plans to replace the entire upper deck of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, work continues on the Staten Island Expressway and at the St. George Ferry Terminal, massive delays slow traffic at the New Jersey crossings on Easter Sunday, construction companies vie to replace the Goethals Bridge and plans are for the Bayonne Bridge to rise to new heights"

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Bayonne Bridge dredging | SILive.com

Bayonne Bridge | SILive.com:

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Henry Hudson Bridge is 75 years old; span led to the development of modern-day Riverdale - NY Daily News

Henry Hudson Bridge is 75 years old; span led to the development of modern-day Riverdale - NY Daily News: "Today, an average 63,000 cars use the bridge daily - but no trucks are allowed."

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Port Strategy - NY/NJ port projects secure $346m funding

Port Strategy - NY/NJ port projects secure $346m funding: "New York/New Jersey port authority is to invest $346m in port projects for 2012, in addition to the $15m it will spend on increasing air draft clearance under the Bayonne Bridge."

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Bayonne Bridge may be as high as it ought to be | SILive.com

Bayonne Bridge may be as high as it ought to be | SILive.com: "This letter was sent to First District Bridge Branch of the First Coast Guard District, with a copy to the Staten Island Advance"

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At 75, the Henry Hudson Bridge is showing its age | History News Network

At 75, the Henry Hudson Bridge is showing its age | History News Network: "It is one of the least-used bridges in the region’s arsenal, but its operations have piled up over the years, closing lanes and upsetting commuters bound for the many gilded Westchester County suburbs it serves."

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Cuomo’s DOT Gets Cracking on a Tappan Zee Without Transit | Streetsblog New York City

Cuomo’s DOT Gets Cracking on a Tappan Zee Without Transit | Streetsblog New York City: "Despite intense opposition from nearly every local elected official and a total lack of public input on the new design, Governor Andrew Cuomo and the state Department of Transportation are moving forward with plans to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge without transit."

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EPA's Response the the USCG's NEPA Workplan

 Bayonne Bridge Navigation Clearance Project NEPA Workplan - http://www.epa.gov/region2/spmm/pdf/bayonne_bridge_navigation_project.pdf

the bayonne bridge. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

the bayonne bridge. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!:

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Port Authority Lowers Threshold For Discounts For S.I. Bridge Crossings - NY1.com

Port Authority Lowers Threshold For Discounts For S.I. Bridge Crossings - NY1.com: "Those enrolled will now pay $47.50 for 10 trips in a 30-day period."

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Port Authority to spend $2B on Trade Center | The Asbury Park Press | APP.com

Port Authority to spend $2B on Trade Center | The Asbury Park Press | APP.com: "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials approved a $7 billion budget for 2012, which holds staffing to the same 2011 level of 6,177 employees and plows more than $2 billion into rebuilding the World Trade Center site."

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Gov. Christie lashes out at Port Authority exec, cites inconsistent toll hike figures | NJ.com

Gov. Christie lashes out at Port Authority exec, cites inconsistent toll hike figures | NJ.com: "The issue involves differences between the Port Authority’s public statements justifying the September toll increase, and what its lawyers are now saying in defending the agency against a lawsuit seeking to overturn the increase."

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Port Authority defends toll hikes in courtroom - NorthJersey.com

Port Authority defends toll hikes in courtroom - NorthJersey.com: "The Port Authority defended its handling of recent toll hikes in the courtroom and in the board room on Thursday, insisting that agency officials never said the extra money would be used to rebuild the World Trade Center."

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Port Authority employees' salaries will be posted online | NJ.com

Port Authority employees' salaries will be posted online | NJ.com: "Effective Friday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will post the salaries of all 6,777 employees on its website."

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NY-NJ Port Authority to Spend $361 Million on Maritime Projects | Journal of Commerce

NY-NJ Port Authority to Spend $361 Million on Maritime Projects | Journal of Commerce: "The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2012 plans to spend $345.9 million on seaport projects and another $15.2 million on work related to the planned elevation of the Bayonne Bridge."

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Port Authority approves limited residential toll discounts on Staten Island bridges | SILive.com

Port Authority approves limited residential toll discounts on Staten Island bridges | SILive.com: "The Port Authority has given the green light to limited residential toll discounts on its Staten Island bridges -- which could save up to $600 a year for drivers who make frequent trips to New Jersey. "

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Are you taking the George Washington Bridge less since the toll hike? | NJ.com

Are you taking the George Washington Bridge less since the toll hike? | NJ.com: "Considering the tolls have gone up, and we're not even sure where they're going, a lot of people are grumbling about taking the Port Authority-controlled bridges and tunnels to New York."

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USCG Requesting Comments | BoatSafe Blog

USCG Requesting Comments | BoatSafe Blog: "A preliminary application has been received by the Commander, First Coast Guard District from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) for a U. S. Coast Guard Bridge Permit for modification to the Bayonne Bridge across Kill Van Kull between Staten Island, NY and Bayonne, NJ. PANYNJ proposes to increase the navigational clearance beneath the bridge by raising the vehicular roadway within the existing tied arch truss structure."

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Public-Private Partnerships Won’t Solve New York’s Transpo Funding Crisis | Streetsblog New York City

Public-Private Partnerships Won’t Solve New York’s Transpo Funding Crisis | Streetsblog New York City: "New York’s transportation system is essentially broke, with both transit and road networks in precarious condition. PPPs can be politically appealing as a way to pay for transportation projects without directly tapping public budgets. But while certain kinds of PPPs might help speed projects along or reduce costs, the private sector doesn’t provide something for nothing. The public will eventually pay for these projects somehow."

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Port Authority Toll Hikes Mean Many More PATH Riders: Gothamist

Port Authority Toll Hikes Mean Many More PATH Riders: Gothamist: "If the point of the Port Authority's September toll hikes was to push more people to take mass transit, they've worked like a charm. Between September 19th and November 22nd, PATH ridership between Manhattan and New Jersey saw an uptick of about 560,000 riders (or 3.7 percent). Meanwhile 890,000 fewer cars and trucks used the Port Authority's bridges and tunnels in that period. Still, there is good news all around: The Port Authority is expecting to take in 20 percent more revenue than it did last year."

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N.Y. congressman: Cuomo 'sold out' New York in Port Authority toll-hike deal | NJ.com

N.Y. congressman: Cuomo 'sold out' New York in Port Authority toll-hike deal | NJ.com: "At New York's expense, New Jersey stands to benefit from the recent deal to increase tolls on Port Authority bridges and tunnels, said N.Y. Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island), according to a report on SILive.com."

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Grimm says governor "sold out" Staten Island with Port Authority toll hikes | SILive.com

Grimm says governor "sold out" Staten Island with Port Authority toll hikes | SILive.com: "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have failed Staten Island miserably when it comes to the fight against Port Authority toll hikes, Rep. Michael Grimm charged."

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New laws could sink Staten Island's maritime industry | SILive.com

New laws could sink Staten Island's maritime industry | SILive.com: "A potential new threat from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) could shutter maritime businesses from Staten Island to Canada, costing billions in lost revenue and jobs, and could affect the billion-dollar project to raise the Bayonne Bridge."

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KVK Surprises « tugster: a waterblog

KVK Surprises « tugster: a waterblog:

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Hoboken Assemblyman Ruben Ramos Jr. calls for Port Authority to freeze its toll and fare hikes until agency's finances are inspected | NJ.com

Hoboken Assemblyman Ruben Ramos Jr. calls for Port Authority to freeze its toll and fare hikes until agency's finances are inspected | NJ.com:

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The Staten Island Sun - Occupy the Port Authority tolls

The Staten Island Sun - Occupy the Port Authority tolls: "It may be hard to explain Occupy Wall Street protests against business corruption. But the rally in Port Richmond Saturday made its cause quite clear.

Bridge tolls are too damn high."

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