Officials in Hudson County say they are taking precautions to minimize the impact of a strike. Watch video
WEEHAWKEN — Officials in Hudson County say an NJ Transit rail strike could pose a safety threat if streets clogged with extra cars paralyze emergency vehicles, and would most likely force local taxpayers to pay overtime for police to try to keep intersections clear.
The threatened strike, which could break out as early as Sunday, would cripple commuter rail service throughout the state. But a rail strike would have a unique impact on Hudson County, with the likely effect of prompting many regular train riders to drive their cars to work on the Hoboken and Jersey City waterfronts, through the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels to New York, or to waterfront ferries or PATH trains.
Some added congestion could also be true of the Fort Lee area in Bergen County, as more motorists try to make their way onto the George Washington Bridge.
Although NJ Transit trains will not run during a strike, the agency's buses and Light Rail lines will. Amtrak trains will not be affected, and private carrier commuter buses will run on regular schedules. Commuters should expect delays and crowding on buses.
For information on what's running where, cross-honoring and other NJ Transit measures in the event there is a strike, visit the agency's
web site.
Hudson officials say local streets could become clogged as the added traffic backs up on tunnel feeder roads including Route 495, and commuters peel off at local exits in search of alternate routes.
And because NJ Transit plans to make up for some lost rail seats with added bus service, those additional buses will also add to congestion on feeder roads.
In addition, NJ Transit plans to run special bus service from certain locations to connect with other modes of commuter transportation within the county, putting extra buses directly onto local Hudson streets. For example, special buses would run from a park & ride lot in Ramsey to the Lincoln Harbor Ferry terminal in Weehawken, and from NJ Transit's Metropark rail station to the Harrison PATH station.
Harrison Mayor James Fife was among Hudson officials who have met with
with representatives of NJ Transit, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the State Police and other agencies to be briefed on contingency measures. Local officials are also taking added precautions to minimize the impact of a strike on their own communities, such as assigning officers to intersections not normally staffed.
Fife said the 70 NJ Transit buses that would run daily from Metropark to the Harrison PATH station at staggered intervals would remain in town to minimize traffic impact, parked on vacant property near the Red Bull Arena after dropping off morning commuters and before picking them up in the evening.
No street closures are planned, Fife said, but Harrison Police officers and Hudson County Sheriff's officers will be assigned to special traffic duty, supplemented by NJ Transit and Port Authority Police dealing with bus and station traffic.
"I'm sure there will be some overtime, maybe we'll have to petition the legislature or NJ Transit,"said Fife, adding that the town will take any necessary safety measures and deal with the costs later. Referring to the rail workers and management, he added, "Let's hope they settle."
Other officials said only time will tell just how the situation will unfold if a strike does occur.
"Hopefully, the first couple of days won't be so bad because people will stay home or make arrangement to stay in New York," said Mayor Richard Turner of Weehawken, the Lincoln Tunnel's host community. But, Turner added, "You just don't know. You just don't know how traffic will build up."
In Jersey City, which hosts the Holland Tunnel and several PATH stations and ferry stops, additional officers will be deployed to manage added automobile traffic, "which is an added expense to the city," said Jennifer Morrill, a spokeswoman for Mayor Steven Fulop.
Morrill noted that, according to NJ Transit, buses will not be able to match normal rail seating, meaning 65,000 commuters will have to find alternate means of crossing the Hudson River, placing up to 10,000 additional cars on the road.
"Projected additional traffic estimates potentially could impact public safety due to delayed responses based on roadway congestion," Morrill said in a statement.
Even the city's aging underground water mains and gas lines will be at heightened risk of rupturing due to the literally heavier traffic volumes, with the potential for further expense and threat to safety. Local businesses could suffer as employees struggle to get to work, Morrill added.
In Union City, Police Chief Richard Molinari said he is particularly concerned about the impact of additional traffic on Route 495, the main feeder road to the Lincoln Tunnel, which passes under Kennedy Boulevard down the middle of his community.
Union City Police Chief Richard Molinari said he was concerned that added traffic on Route 495 resulting from a rail strike would cause gridlock on local streets as motorists leave the highway to seek alternate routes through the city to the Lincoln Tunnel. (Google Maps) Even during ordinary rush hours, Molinari said, motorists hoping to avoid a few blocks of the normal bumper-to-bumper crawl toward the Lincoln Tunnel Helix often take the Kennedy Boulevard exit off of 495, then continue east on 30th Street toward the tunnel. The resulting gridlock can block traffic on the boulevard and other north-south thoroughfares in Union City, with potentially lethal consequences in the event of an emergency requiring a rapid response.
"We're all concerned about the impact on this region," Molinari said, referring to Union City Mayor Brian Stack and officials of other Hudson communities. "We will do what we have to do to leave these thoroughfares open."
In Hoboken, a strike will trigger traffic restrictions in the downtown area surrounding Hoboken Terminal, a busy transportation hub that includes an NJ Transit rail station and several other commuting modes: an NJ Transit bus depot; a PATH station; a large taxi stand; and a New York Waterway Ferry terminal.
"Only buses, registered private shuttles, and emergency vehicles will be permitted to enter the Hoboken Terminal area," Mayor Dawn Zimmer said in a statement. "Taxis and personal vehicles will not be permitted. Vehicles will not be permitted to travel east of Washington Street at Observer Highway, south of 2nd Street on Hudson Street, or south of 1st Street on River Street. First Street will remain open."
Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante said the city will incur police overtime in the event of a strike. Starting Monday, Ferrante said, "We're putting all our officers on 12-hour shifts, instead of 8, and cancelling all vacations."
NJ Transit train tickets to New York will be cross honored on NJ Transit buses, private carrier buses, PATH trains, NJ Transit light rail trains, NY Waterway and SeaStreak ferries.
Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.