(rshsdepot) Hoboken, NJ

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Ferries to run again at Hoboken rail hub
P.A.-NJ Transit pact to restore old terminal


Tuesday, March 11, 2003


BY RON MARSICO
Star-Ledger Staff

The historic Hoboken Terminal will be restored under a $125 million plan to
resume ferry service to and from Manhattan, under an agreement between the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and NJ Transit.

Constructed in 1907 by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, the
Hoboken Terminal's ferries served as the primary mode of transportation
between New Jersey and Manhattan. Construction of the Hudson River bridges
and tunnels led to a decline in ferry use and the terminal was shuttered in
1967.

Ferry service resumed in 1989 from a temporary facility in Hoboken, but the
destruction of the PATH station below the World Trade Center on 9/11 led to
a greater need for alternative ways for commuters to get to Lower Manhattan.

"The money earmarked by the Port Authority for Hoboken Terminal continues
our substantial investments to help upgrade more ferry infrastructure and
fuel the resurgence of water transportation in the region," said Port
Authority Chairman Jack Sinagra. "As a result of our collaboration with NJ
Transit, we will provide employees and residents of New Jersey with a fast
and convenient transportation option."

Preliminary design plans are expected to be ready in June, but officials set
no specific time frame for completion of work. PATH service to Lower
Manhattan is expected to resume in December.

"Restoration of the ferry slips at Hoboken Terminal is one of the state's
long-range strategic plans to increase trans-Hudson capacity and enhance
travel options while supporting the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan," said
George Warrington, NJ Transit's executive director.

"Thanks to the support of the Port Authority, thousands of NJ Transit rail,
light rail and bus customers will be able to take advantage of this expanded
ferry operation."

Restoration and construction work will include a new ferry ticketing office
and waiting area, as well as fixing copper work and lighting on the outside
of the structure. Additionally, marine work also is needed to allow ferry
operations to resume.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEWS RELEASE FROM NJ TRANSIT

The Port Authority and NJ TRANSIT have signed an agreement that will lead to
the restoration of the historic Hoboken Terminal ferry slips and supporting
infrastructure to accommodate the tremendous increase in trans-Hudson ferry
service into the 21st century.

The agreement was announced today by Port Authority Executive Director
Joseph J. Seymour and NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George Warrington.
Restoration of the ferry slips and terminal area is expected to cost
approximately $125 million.

New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey said, "Interstate ferry service has
been a lifeline for New Jersey commuters since September 11, 2001, providing
them with a critical transportation option to get to and from Manhattan
after PATH service to Lower Manhattan was lost. Today's agreement is
critical to our ability to provide the infrastructure we need to meet the
growing demand for ferry service. I strongly believe that ferry service is a
key transportation option we need to relieve congestion on our highways,
tunnels, bridges and public transportation systems."

Port Authority Chairman Jack G. Sinagra said, "The money earmarked by the
Port Authority for Hoboken Terminal continues our substantial investments to
help upgrade

ferry infrastructure and fuel the resurgence of water transportation in the
region. As a result of our collaboration with NJ TRANSIT, we will provide
employees and residents of New Jersey with a fast and convenient
transportation option."

Acting New Jersey Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman
Jack Lettiere said, "Thanks to the policy support of Governor McGreevey -
and the financial support of the Port Authority - the ferry terminal
restoration project at Hoboken Terminal will substantially increase
trans-Hudson commuting options for New Jersey residents. This project is
also consistent with our 'fix-it-first' initiative, focusing our limited
transportation resources on a vital and historic transportation hub that
links bus, rail, light rail, PATH and ferry services."

NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George Warrington said, "Restoration of the
ferry slips at Hoboken Terminal is one of the state's long-range strategic
plans to increase trans-Hudson capacity and enhance travel options while
supporting the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan. Thanks to the support of the
Port Authority, thousands of NJ TRANSIT rail, light rail and bus customers
will be able to take advantage of this expanded ferry operation."

Port Authority Executive Director Joseph J. Seymour said, "For the past 18
months, the Port Authority has worked aggressively to bolster the region's
ferry network. Today, ferries transport nearly 70,000 passenger trips a day
to and from Manhattan, and we expect commuters to continue to use the
service as they realize the substantial benefits this form of transportation
provides."

Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Michael DeCotiis said, "The PATH
system has always been a critical cog in the region's transportation
network. When service between New Jersey and Lower Manhattan was lost, the
Port Authority moved quickly and decisively to provide immediate relief for
thousands of people left with limited commuting options."

As part of its agreement with NJ TRANSIT, the Port Authority will provide up
to

$8 million to pay for the design work for the restoration of six ferry slips
in the terminal and supporting infrastructure required to reactivate ferry
service. The preliminary design work is ongoing and is scheduled to be
completed in June 2003.

The bistate agency will provide an additional $44 million from its capital
program as the initial financing for the project, and the Federal Transit
Administration will contribute an additional $27 million, which will permit
initial phases to begin while additional funds are secured.

The agreement also calls for the two agencies to finalize a long-term lease
for the Port Authority's use of the Hoboken Terminal ferry slips.

The terminal and its ferry slips were originally built in 1907 by the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. During the early part of the last
century, ferry service was the primary form of transportation for people
traveling to and from Manhattan. But with the construction of the George
Washington Bridge and Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the use of ferries began
to decline, and in 1967, the Hoboken Terminal slips were closed. In 1989,
New York Waterway resumed ferry service from Hoboken

Terminal utilizing a temporary ferry facility.

Key elements of the ferry terminal repair and restoration work include:


  a.. Reconstruction of a portion of the building's substructure and
superstructure.
  b.. Construction of ferry service ticket offices and a waiting area.
  c.. Restoration of the copper fascia and lighting on the exterior of the
building.
  d.. Waterproofing and insulating the exterior walls near the ferry slips.
  e.. Restoring the interior finishes of the ferry terminal area.
  f.. Performing utility and marine work to support the new ferry operation.
Hoboken Terminal is a key intermodal transfer point for New Jersey
commuters, where commuter rail, PATH, light rail, bus and ferry services are
available. Hoboken Terminal is served by more than 280 daily NJ Transit
trains, 546 daily PATH trains, 394 daily Hudson-Bergen Light Rail trains and
more than 300 daily NJ TRANSIT buses in addition to other private bus
carriers serving Hudson County.


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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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