Access (Denied) to the Region’s Core
Access to the region’s core (ARC) is now inaccessible. The ARC Tunnel is being brought to a complete stop. In a press release yesterday, the state has ordered to “…. begin an expeditious and orderly shutdown of the project.” For more details, visit GMTMA’s website.
Let me try and reproduce some figures here.
The estimated cost of ARC Tunnel was $8.7 billion. Federal commitment is capped at $3 billion. It is believed that in the current scenario, cost estimates might increase and would be to the north of $14 billion. The state believes that investing into a project which may run beyond its budgetary constraints would be unjustified use of taxpayers’ money.
On the flipside.
If implemented, ARC Tunnel would have added 6000 temporary construction jobs to our economy, and about 44,000 permanent new jobs to fuel our economy. This extrapolates to $4 billion in new personal income and $10 billion in gross regional product. It is projected that it would have eliminated 22,000 pollution spewing vehicles from our roads. This extrapolates to reducing our climate footprint by 66,000 tons of greenhouse gases.
On one side, tax payers will not have to pay for the ARC tunnel and save money for them and for the state. This will save the state from incurring more debt and financial burdens. On the other side, problems with traffic congestion, air quality deterioration and climate footprints will keep growing. These problems may not seem quantifiable, but the externalities come in the form of lost man-hours, deteriorating health and imbalanced ecosystems. Oregon Environmental Council estimates the cost of Adult and Childhood Asthma to be $30.million each year. Now, we’re losing an opportunity to remove 22,000 vehicles from our roads that spew pollutants and inherently have the tendency to cause respiratory diseases. If I were to write about economic damage from pollution and traffic congestion, it would perhaps take an entire day or more and many pages worth content. I leave it up to you to try and think the cost of ‘business as usual’.
I am not being judgmental here. I just want to try and present two sides of the same coin. Please help take this conversation forward. Leave your responses and let your views be known.
Jay Thakkar
jthakkar@gmtma.org
Follow us on twitter @gmtma
Tell us what you think about the Mercer County Master Plan
photo courtesy of Trenton Cycling Revolution
We would like to invite Mercer County residents to join us for a public “open house” to:
· Learn more about Mercer County’s Bicycle Component
· See visuals for improvements to bicycle safety in Mercer County
· Provide insight regarding the needs of bicyclists in Mercer County
The Mercer County Planning Division was selected by the New Jersey Department of Transportation to receive Local Technical Assistance in the development of a Bicycle Component to the County Master Plan Mobility Element. The purpose is to address concerns for providing safe accommodations for bicyclists throughout the County and to incorporate a “multi-modal/complete streets” approach to prioritizing capital improvements.
WHEN: Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
4pm -7pm
WHERE: Mercer County Library, Main Branch
Business Rt. 1 & Darrah Lane, Lawrence Township
WHO: Anyone concerned with bicycling in Mercer County
Contact: Matthew Lawson, Ph.D., Principal Planner, County of Mercer, NJ
609-989-6545; mlawson@mercercounty.org
Tomorrow, May 22nd, the Trenton Cycling Revolution kicks off their The first 100 registered riders will receive a free tee-shirt. Tickets are available at the early-bird registration rate of $7/adult $3/child until Friday, May 7. Register online at Trenton Cycling Revolution or send a check to TCR, PO Box 1155, Trenton, NJ 08606.
The month ends with BikeFest on May 29th. Sign up your family for one of several rides around West Windsor.
Bike Commuter Profile #1: Doug from Frenchtown
1. What do you do and what cities do you bike commute in?
I work as a Scientist for Bristol Myers Squibb. I commute from Frenchtown NJ to Hopewell, NJ.
2. Why did you start riding your bike to work and how long is your commute?
I started bike commuting back in 1991 when I moved to San Diego. The biotech industry was quite informal in terms of attitude and dress code, and I was able to commute along the coastline. My earliest bike commute was about 7 miles each way and I did it on a mountain bike. Later, when I moved almost 15 miles from work, I used a road bike exclusively. Partly why I started commuting was to avoid the Southern California traffic and to get exercise.
Up until recently my commute was about 15 miles. However its now almost 30 miles each way, so I can only do it one or two days a week.
3. What kind of bikes do you have?
I have 2 racing bikes- one is Carbon Fiber, the other is aluminum/CF. I also have a steel frame that I use as a fixed gear in the winter.
4. How does Bike Commuting help you with your lifestyle (economics,
health, relationships)?
Commuting saves me a lot of money on gas, in fact when I was able to do it 3-4 days per week I only had to fill up twice a month! Its also a lot less expensive, and more fun, to ride my bike versus paying for a gym.
5. Any experience that you can share with us about ‘learning the hard way’?
Make sure to carry extra tubes to fix a flat, make sure to eat before you ride and avoid roads that have heavy car traffic. Plan extra time as the days get shorter so that you do not get caught in the dark. Always have your cell phone with you.
6. What do people (coworkers, friends) say when you tell them that you are a bike commuter?
Most of my friends know that I commute, because I’ve been doing it for so long. My coworkers usually ask how far it is and what roads I take. Sometimes if its a nice day they ask if I rode my bike or not.
7. How about bicycling advocacy? Are you active in any local or regional advocacy groups?
Not really, as my focus is more on racing and cycling clubs. I am currently coaching junior cyclists and helping to teach them to ride safely on the roads.
