NJ Transitway: Our Oct. 10 Board Comments

The last item on the agenda this evening is a contract for the Transitway at Secaucucs.  What is unusual about this contract-approval request is that there is no dollar amount with it, merely “amount discussed in executive session”.   Since we have been attending board meetings, this is the first time that there has not been a dollar amount.  This project is huge, the contract for the previous part was for more than $35 million, and we question whether it is even needed—how often will it be used?  FIFA matches and Superbowl games don’t happen every day—and there are solutions that do not require such an expensive project.  For instance, buses from the Port Authority Terminal, from shopping malls, and from Grand Central Station could bring people directly to the stadium, without requiring a change at Secaucus.  The sense of urgency—“construction must start immediately”—makes us wonder about the timing of this item—why the delay until the last minute?  There is no mention of the source of funds for this project—is it fully funded by “other people’s money”?  If not, what will be left out of future NJ Transit budgets after hundreds of millions are spent on this extravagant busway?  Some items that have been on our wish list are weekend service on the Montclair-Boonton Line, completion of the rehabilitation of the Cut-Off to Andover, and extension of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to Englewood Hospital.  We would also like to see the HBLR connected to Newark Light Rail and extended to Montclair and West Orange over existing rights of way, instead of a busway/bikeway.  With due respect to the contractor, why is this a procurement-by-exception item and not bid in the standard manner?  All in all, we are very worried by this item.