The Empire Strikes Out
August 11th 2007 11:29 am
Middlesex County Freeholder Director David Crabiel, stung by recent editorials and letters in the mainstream press, fires back in a “friendly” local media outlet at NJ-ARP’s Daniel Green. His “ammunition” is his record on construction of more parking spaces for expansion of bus service and highways. How sad. Look at the numbers on motor-vehicle pollution emissions in Middlesex County (We’re #1!) Emissions scorecard and then read his comments. And while you’re reading, remember that Mr. Crabiel owns and operates funeral homes. What could be better for business than more poison in the air we breathe and more opportunity for traffic fatalities, which, in Middlesex County, dwarf the number of rail-related injuries by several orders of magnitude? Nefarious plot or merely fatal coincidence? The voters should get to hear the facts and decide.
…Third, Mr. Green claims that I am ignoring the long-range transportation needs of Middlesex County. He is apparently unaware that, with my support, a proposal to establish additional buses-only lanes has been implemented on the Route 9 corridor (pursuant to the initial Monmouth Major Investment Study completed in 1996). He is also apparently unaware that the capacity of the Route 130 park and ride has been doubled by the addition of more than 800 parking spaces. This expansion is to be followed by 150 additional parking spaces and a new park-and-ride area on Applegarth Road in Monroe. An additional 1,000-space park-and-ride facility on Route 33 is in the works for 2012 when the new Interchange No. 8 and the New Jersey Turnpike expansion are completed. Further, he must be unaware that Jamesburg is considering another new 300-space park-and-ride area. All of this additional parking will support enhanced commuter-bus transportation. Mr. Green ignores the fact that commuter-bus service is more flexible than rail service, which is less able to accommodate shifts in population growth.
Bob Scheurle responded on 11 Aug 2007 at 2:57 pm #
“Mr. Green ignores the fact that commuter-bus service is more flexible than rail service…”
From the Route 130 park & ride in South Brunswick, the bus service is so flexible that you can only go to New York City! Need to go to Newark? The bus won’t take you there. Need to go to Newark Airport? The bus won’t take you there. Need to go to New Brunswick? The bus won’t take you there.
If the MOM rail route was open, you’d be able to take the train to all those places and more. So much for the “more flexible” bus service.
E-44 responded on 11 Aug 2007 at 2:58 pm #
Mr. Crabiel never lets the facts stand in the way of a good argument.
ABG responded on 11 Aug 2007 at 7:54 pm #
If bus service is so flexible, why can’t the buses pick people up at their doors instead of requiring a huge parking lot?
LRTADV responded on 13 Aug 2007 at 12:11 pm #
Therein lies the fly in the ointment for BRT. You need vast parking lots in the suburbs that people need to drive to and either a dedicated diamond lane or acquiring adjoining land. LRT is compact, runs on EXISTING right-of-way, and enables people to walk from homes, businesses, enterntainment venues,etc.
Joe Versaggi responded on 17 Aug 2007 at 7:31 am #
So Crabiel logic is that new rail starts are only for those areas where shifts in population growth do NOT occur. That defies common sense, and would also make it a poor candidate for FTA funding.