Government geniuses spend $600m to build a train station without a single parking spot

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

... the guys whose mission it is to make the trains run on time spent more than $600 million to construct the Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station at Secaucus and built it without a single public parking spot.

In September of 2004, the New York Times reported that the $600 million mass transit station handled less than 6,000 passengers a day - about half of what Newark Penn Station and a third of what the station in Hoboken handle each day.

In the view of the transportation planners who designed the station, it made sense to spend more than a half-billion dollars so that commuters could switch from one train to another, but apparently made no sense to give people a place to park so they could switch from their cars to the train, ease congestion and curb air polution.

I found out about the absence of parking while driving to New York City. Upon hearing that traffic was backed up at the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels, I pulled off the Turnpike at exit 15X to grab the next train, save a lot of time and a little bit of money.

I knew about the Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station because of its big sign. You can't miss it from the Turnpike. It's the biggest and most expensive building every built on that stretch of the toll road.

I went through the EZ Pass lane got off the highway and was all set to park, only to learn that public parking is unavailable at the station.

Is this any way to run a railroad?

http://blog.nj.com/njv_peter_mcdonough/200...lion_train.html

[derekkj 0]

Good grief. Only in Jersey.

[Ban Hammer 14,163]

Good grief. Only in Jersey.

speaking of jersey.......

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=98825

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Good grief. Only in Jersey.

speaking of jersey.......

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=98825

umm that's long island.

[Reynaldo 0]

Jersey, Long Island... It is all the same thing...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Jersey, Long Island... It is all the same thing...

Kiss my ***

[derekkj 0]

Jersey, Long Island... It is all the same thing...

Kiss my ***

A true Jersey response.

Edited December 3, 2007 by derekkj

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I believe it.

Had a job interview out in Secaucus about a year ago - it was a wasteland of industrial parks.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Jersey, Long Island... It is all the same thing...

Kiss my ***

A true Jersey response.

You better believe it.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I believe it.

Had a job interview out in Secaucus about a year ago - it was a wasteland of industrial parks.

No surprise there, all Jersey is a wasteland anyways.

[derekkj 0]

Jersey, Long Island... It is all the same thing...

Kiss my ***

A true Jersey response.

You better believe it.

Sometimes I really miss the tri-state area. DC is for wussies.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I believe it.

Had a job interview out in Secaucus about a year ago - it was a wasteland of industrial parks.

Check out Corzine's "Liberty Corridor" initiative, the Bush administration is funding it and it will "rejuvenate" the industrial character of that entire area. Think more industrial parks, not less.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I believe it.

Had a job interview out in Secaucus about a year ago - it was a wasteland of industrial parks.

No surprise there, all Jersey is a wasteland anyways.

Well to be fair that isn't true - even admitting that I don't much care for NJ. The state's poor reputation does seem to originate from the dilapidated, crime-ridden areas like Newark (and the areas immediately around it - Jersey City, South Orange, Irvington, Elizabeth etc. that border NYC. If you're up for a slightly longer commute the rest of the state is actually quite nice, until you get to down Atlantic City of course.

I believe it.

Had a job interview out in Secaucus about a year ago - it was a wasteland of industrial parks.

Check out Corzine's "Liberty Corridor" initiative, the Bush administration is funding it and it will "rejuvenate" the industrial character of that entire area. Think more industrial parks, not less.

A related comment - I was in our local supermarket the other day - and the item of the month was red bell peppers for $1.49lb. The whole box was rotten. The Item of the Month sign was new and immaculate.

Says it all really.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A related comment - I was in our local supermarket the other day - and the item of the month was red bell peppers for $1.49lb. The whole box was rotten. The Item of the Month sign was new and immaculate.

Says it all really.

Find a better supermarket. There are plenty...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The state's poor reputation does seem to originate from the dilapidated, crime-ridden areas like Newark (and the areas immediately around it - Jersey City, South Orange, Irvington, Elizabeth etc. that border NYC. If you're up for a slightly longer commute the rest of the state is actually quite nice, until you get to down Atlantic City of course.

And Camden and Trenton. Camden is way worse than anything around NYC.

NJ is real nice in Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex counties. Even Morris and, at times, Middlesex. Hunterdon county home prices have come down a lot recently and the wife and I are eying it greedily. Maybe 2009.