Commuter Trains will cause sprawl in Nj Highlands

[steamtrain6868]

Elliott Ruga to me

show details 12:41 AM (7 hours ago)

...We vigorously support initiatives that reduce automobile trips, rail being an excellent alternative for many reasons. The Lackawanna Cut-Off project, however, as designed, would not reduce the volume of automobiles on I-80 and other through roads and may in fact increase it. At least one new rail station is planned along the route in NJ, in Andover. It will be large and located in what is now a rural area. Aside from a new transit village, it is anticipated that the surrounding area will attract considerable new residential and commercial development. Although a few current car commuters might find the new rail station offering a convenient alternative, it won't offer anything to new residents who must commute to areas not served by the RR. New development in a pristine area is sprawl. If the re-energized line were to confine its stations to previously developed area (Scranton being a good example), we would applaud, rather than oppose this project.

 

[jis]

Elliott Ruga to me

show details 12:41 AM (7 hours ago)

...We vigorously support initiatives that reduce automobile trips, rail being an excellent alternative for many reasons. The Lackawanna Cut-Off project, however, as designed, would not reduce the volume of automobiles on I-80 and other through roads and may in fact increase it. At least one new rail station is planned along the route in NJ, in Andover. It will be large and located in what is now a rural area. Aside from a new transit village, it is anticipated that the surrounding area will attract considerable new residential and commercial development. Although a few current car commuters might find the new rail station offering a convenient alternative, it won't offer anything to new residents who must commute to areas not served by the RR. New development in a pristine area is sprawl. If the re-energized line were to confine its stations to previously developed area (Scranton being a good example), we would applaud, rather than oppose this project.

So if the RR is not going to serve the areas where the new residents want to travel to, why would the existence of the RR attract those sorts of new residents near its station. Seems pretty illogical to me. But logic has never been the strong suite of NIMBYs anyway.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Overpopulation; generous government subsidies for highways; corporate development welfare that attracts companies to undeveloped areas; land use laws that only focus on zoning; a conservative judicial interpretation of the Constitution that strikes down any attempts to seriously guide development; and the desire by people to live away from city and town centers all help to create sprawl. Saying that a commuter line extension will create sprawl is kind of like saying snow flurries create blizzards.

 

[steamtrain6868]

The New Jersey highlands was were the Central Railroad of New Jersey ran...up untill 1979...why was it not a problem then? see map - http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://njrails.tripod.com/20th_Century/CNJ/cnj_map_large.jpg&imgrefurl=http://njrails.tripod.com/20th_Century/CNJ/CNJ.htm&usg=__HiSUX99LCSjTgdMKpDVY4n4XlKY=&h=2044&w=1760&sz=1568&hl=en&start=0&sig2=Sdytfk2oyF1EEud0b1m6WA&zoom=1&tbnid=iNUagLgCfmZVMM:&tbnh=172&tbnw=148&ei=IXeTTYerN6-B0QHqruDMBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCentral%2BRailroad%2Bof%2BNJ%2Bmap%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DP20%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26channel%3Ds%26biw%3D1600%26bih%3D1007%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C114&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=379&vpy=4&dur=157&hovh=242&hovw=208&tx=135&ty=148&oei=AHeTTc3qH6y_0QHB4sTNBw&page=1&ndsp=38&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&biw=1600&bih=1007

 

[jis]

The New Jersey highlands was were the Central Railroad of New Jersey ran...up untill 1979...why was it not a problem then? see map - http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://njrails.tripod.com/20th_Century/CNJ/cnj_map_large.jpg&imgrefurl=http://njrails.tripod.com/20th_Century/CNJ/CNJ.htm&usg=__HiSUX99LCSjTgdMKpDVY4n4XlKY=&h=2044&w=1760&sz=1568&hl=en&start=0&sig2=Sdytfk2oyF1EEud0b1m6WA&zoom=1&tbnid=iNUagLgCfmZVMM:&tbnh=172&tbnw=148&ei=IXeTTYerN6-B0QHqruDMBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCentral%2BRailroad%2Bof%2BNJ%2Bmap%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DP20%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26channel%3Ds%26biw%3D1600%26bih%3D1007%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C114&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=379&vpy=4&dur=157&hovh=242&hovw=208&tx=135&ty=148&oei=AHeTTc3qH6y_0QHB4sTNBw&page=1&ndsp=38&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&biw=1600&bih=1007

And since the 60s they have built and repeatedly widened I-80 and widened Rt 23 and a host of other highways in that area. Frankly the Sierra Club guys including Mr. Tittel himself, who has been making noises in opposition to the restoration of the NJ Lackawanna Cutoff are all wet on this one IMHO.

 

[steamtrain6868]

Is this not a case of transportation racism and classim? I see a potential for reverse commuting for service workers and the search for cheaper and safer housing further out from Newark NJ....I bet that those opposed own big Mc mansions out there on 5 acre lots