Northern Branch Corridor Northern Branch Corridor Public Scoping - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Northern Branch Corridor Northern Branch Corridor Public Scoping Meeting Public Scoping Meeting Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Agenda Agenda � Introductions Introductions � � Project History Project History � � Project Status Project Status � � EIS Process EIS Process � � Other Issues Other Issues �

I ntroductions I ntroductions

Project History Project History

Project History Project History � West Shore Study West Shore Study � – Proposed Regional Transit Proposed Regional Transit – Network Serving Bergen & Network Serving Bergen & Rockland Counties Through Rockland Counties Through 3 Corridors 3 Corridors PASSAIC BERGEN LIGHT RAIL LINE (proposed) � West Shore: Commuter Rail West Shore: Commuter Rail � Sports Complex Sports Complex � Northern Branch: Light Rail Northern Branch: Light Rail � � Passaic Bergen: Light Rail Passaic Bergen: Light Rail �

Project History Project History � Northern Branch HBLR Extension Alternative Northern Branch HBLR Extension Alternative � – Recommended through Alternatives Analysis Recommended through Alternatives Analysis – – Assumed HBLR extended to Vince Lombardi P&R Assumed HBLR extended to Vince Lombardi P&R – rd Street, North Bergen – Operate from Tenafly to 83 Operate from Tenafly to 83 rd Street, North Bergen – – Physical separation Physical separation – between freight & LRT between freight & LRT – Electrically Propelled Electrically Propelled – – Overhead Overhead Catenary Catenary –

Project History Project History � Changes that led to a fresh look of the Changes that led to a fresh look of the � project project – THE Tunnel THE Tunnel – – TriCounty TriCounty Rail Plan Rail Plan – – New Rail Passenger Technology (DMU) New Rail Passenger Technology (DMU) –

Project History Project History � Northern Branch DMU Alternative Northern Branch DMU Alternative � – THE Tunnel THE Tunnel – – TriCounty TriCounty Rail Plan Rail Plan – – Operate from Tenafly to North Bergen Operate from Tenafly to North Bergen – – Connections to HBLR Via New Transfer Station in Connections to HBLR Via New Transfer Station in – North Bergen North Bergen – FRA FRA- -Compliant Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Railcar Compliant Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Railcar – � Can Be Run on Same Tracks, at the Can Be Run on Same Tracks, at the � Same Time with Freight Service Same Time with Freight Service

Project Status Project Status

Project Status Project Status � New NOI and Scoping New NOI and Scoping � – Reflect the analysis of two alternative Reflect the analysis of two alternative – modes of transit modes of transit

Project Status Project Status � Proposed Alternatives Proposed Alternatives � – No Action No Action – – HBLR Extension Alternatives HBLR Extension Alternatives – Temporal Separation Temporal Separation � Tenafly North terminus Tenafly North terminus � � Englewood Route 4 terminus Englewood Route 4 terminus � – DMU Alternatives DMU Alternatives – � Tenafly North terminus Tenafly North terminus � � Englewood Route 4 terminus Englewood Route 4 terminus �

Project Status Project Status Stations to be Studied Stations to be Studied � North Bergen Junction North Bergen Junction � Englewood Route 4 Englewood Route 4 � � st Street 91 st � 91 Street � Englewood Town Center Englewood Town Center � � � Ridgefield Ridgefield � Englewood Hospital Englewood Hospital � � � Palisades Park Palisades Park � Tenafly Town Center Tenafly Town Center � � � Leonia Leonia � Tenafly North Tenafly North � �

Other Planning Considerations Other Planning Considerations � THE Tunnel Connection THE Tunnel Connection � � Hudson Hudson- -Bergen Light Rail connection Bergen Light Rail connection � th Street to the Meadowlands (69 th Street to the Meadowlands (69 Station) Station)

EI S Process EI S Process

EI S Process EI S Process � NOI & Scoping Procedures NOI & Scoping Procedures � – Scoping Meeting Scoping Meeting – – Draft and Final Scoping Document Draft and Final Scoping Document – � Draft EIS Draft EIS � � Agency/Public Review & Comment Agency/Public Review & Comment � – DEIS Public Hearing DEIS Public Hearing – � Final EIS Final EIS � – Address comments on DEIS – Address comments on DEIS – Agency/Public Review & Comment Agency/Public Review & Comment – � Record of Decision Record of Decision � � Agency Action Agency Action �

Environmental Analysis Environmental Analysis � Transportation Transportation � – Air Quality Air Quality – – Noise & Vibration Noise & Vibration – – Traffic, Parking, Transit, Traffic, Parking, Transit, – Pedestrians & Freight Rail Pedestrians & Freight Rail – Energy & Potential for Energy & Potential for – Conservation Conservation – Electric & Magnetic Fields Electric & Magnetic Fields – – Safety & Security Safety & Security –

Environmental Analysis Environmental Analysis � Natural Environment Natural Environment � – Water Quality Water Quality – – Wetlands Wetlands – – Flooding Flooding – – Navigable Waterways & Coastal Navigable Waterways & Coastal – Zones Zones – Ecologically Sensitive Areas Ecologically Sensitive Areas – – Endangered Species Endangered Species – – Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste –

Environmental Analysis Environmental Analysis � Built Environment Built Environment � – Land Acquisition & Displacement Land Acquisition & Displacement – – Land Use, Zoning & Economic Land Use, Zoning & Economic – Development Development – Consistency with Local Plans Consistency with Local Plans – – Historic Properties & Resources Historic Properties & Resources – – Parkland Parkland – – Archaeology Archaeology – – Aesthetics Aesthetics – – Community Disruption Community Disruption –

Environmental Analysis Environmental Analysis � Environmental Justice Environmental Justice � – Avoid disproportionately high and adverse Avoid disproportionately high and adverse – effects on minority & low- -income populations. income populations. effects on minority & low � Construction Impacts Construction Impacts � – Identify and minimize temporary impacts Identify and minimize temporary impacts – associated with construction activities. associated with construction activities. � Cumulative Effects and Indirect Impacts Cumulative Effects and Indirect Impacts � – Determine cumulative effects of this action Determine cumulative effects of this action – with other past, present, and reasonably with other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable major actions. foreseeable major actions.

Other I ssues Other I ssues

Other I ssues Other I ssues � Hours of passenger service Hours of passenger service � � Nighttime freight operations Nighttime freight operations � � Freight customers Freight customers � � Passenger rail storage facilities Passenger rail storage facilities � � Future conversion to commuter rail Future conversion to commuter rail �

For More I nformation For More I nformation Visit the project website at: Visit the project website at: http://northernbranchcorridor.com http://northernbranchcorridor.com Contact Us: Contact Us: Linda A. Mosch, P.E. Linda A. Mosch, P.E. Project Director Project Director NJ TRANSIT NJ TRANSIT One Penn Plaza East One Penn Plaza East Newark, NJ 07105- -2246 2246 Newark, NJ 07105 info@northernbranchcorridor.com

Public Comment Public Comment Session Session

Northern Branch Corridor Northern Branch Corridor Public Scoping Meeting Public Scoping Meeting Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Wednesday, October 24, 2007