GOVERNOR URGES ATTENDANCE FOR 6TH ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
“Our transportation infrastructure is vital to every aspect of our economy and is critical in our efforts to retain jobs and attract new employers to New Jersey.”

That was the call issued by Governor Jon Corzine for strong attendance as the Alliance for Action presents the 6th Annual Governor’s Transportation Conference on Monday, March 2, at the Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Center, Trenton. With the focus of the effects of economic stimulus on key transportation projects in New Jersey, the program will begin at 9 a.m. following registration at 8:00 a.m.

Governor Corzine will deliver the keynote address and will be joined by a host of other prominent state, federal and bi-state officials:

Confirmed participants include Anthony Coscia, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Stephen Dilts, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Richard Sarles, Executive Director of NJ Transit, John Matheussen, CEO of the Delaware River Port Authority, and Raymond Pocino, Vice President & Eastern Regional Manager, Laborers’ International Union of North America. Also invited to participate are U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez.
To register Go Here.

DILTS AND KOLLURI REPORT ON PLANNED TRANSPORTATION AND SCHOOLS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
The Alliance for Action received first-hand reports on what transportation and schools construction projects are anticipated in 2009. The information came during the Alliance’s continuing series of “Meet the Players” programs from State Transportation Commissioner Stephen Dilts and CEO Kris Kolluri of the Schools Development Authority.

Both the Dilts and Kolluri appearances attracted enthusiastic capacity audiences of 200 each and generated lively question and answer sessions.

Dilts said the DOT expects $1 billion in capital projects this year. He also declared that New Jersey has identified more than $3 billion in ready-to-go transportation projects it seeks to qualify as part of the federal economic stimulus package from Congress and the Obama administration.

Kolluri reported that his agency in 2009 will initiate 29 school projects valued at a total of $1.4 billion. He pledged to “build cost-effective, efficient schools under budget…not a penny more.”

Both Dilts and Kolluri, made it clear, however, that New Jersey’s transportation and schools needs will be far more than the anticipated economic stimulus dollars.

NEW TURNPIKE AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO SPEAK TO ALLIANCE
The next in the popular “Meet the Players” series hosted by the Alliance for Action will be held on Friday, February 13, when the featured guest will be Diane Scaccetti, the newly appointed Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority . She will speak about construction plans for both the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which also is under the Authority’s jurisdiction.

The meeting will be in the 3rd floor conference room at the Alliance’s headquarters in Raritan Plaza II, Raritan Center, Edison. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. and the program at 10 a.m.
To register Go Here.

PARKWAY WIDENING PLANS ARE OUTLINED
Plans for the widening of the Garden State Parkway have been announced for the 16-mile stretch between Toms River and Wall Township. The new section will have three 12-foot wide lanes and two 12-foot shoulders in each direction. There currently are no shoulders.

Officials say the Parkway between mile markers 80 and 100 is one of the worst for accidents, with 9,408 accidents and 63 deaths between 2000 and 2008. Construction is estimated to begin in 2011.

PATH TRAINS RIDERSHIP REACHES NEW RECORD IN 2008
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that a record number of 75 million riders took PATH trains in 2008 between northern New Jersey and New York. This represented an increase of more than 3 million over 2007.

The previous high for ridership was 74 million in 2000. Daily ridership in 2008 averaged a little more than 250,000.

COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES-NEW JERSEY TO HOLD AWARDS BANQUET
The American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey will hold its 2009 Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet on Thursday, March 19, at Neilson Hall, Rutgers University.

In addition to recognizing outstanding engineering projects designed by New Jersey engineers and awarding scholarships to engineering students, the Council will bestow individual awards to:
Anthony Coscia, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Dr. Bryan Pfister of New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Thomas Howell, PE, American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey. For reservation, call (973) 564-5848.

NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT BREAKS GROUND
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for Midtown Commons, an $18.7-million redevelopment project in Neptune Township consisting of commercial and residential buildings.

The CityWorks project will include a family health center, retail stores, office space, senior housing, off-street parking and a park. The project is expected to create over 370 construction jobs and nearly 100 full-time new jobs upon completion.

NEW SPORTS HEALTH INSTITUTE ANNOUNCED FOR FLORHAM PARK
Atlantic Health will build a sports health institute next to the New York Jets football training facility in Florham Park, at a cost of between $30 million and $40 million to construct and equip. The four-story, 100,000 square-foot structure will be built on the northwest corner of The Green at Florham Park, a 268-acre project being developed by the Rockefeller Group Development Corp. and Gale Real Estate Services in a venture partnership.

The institute will offer comprehensive medical psychological, nutritional and physical rehabilitation services to a wide variety of athletes, from professional to weekend warriors. Pending site plan approval by Florham Park this spring or summer, construction could begin in 2009.

HUDSON COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR ACTION TO MEET FEBRUARY 27
The Hudson County Alliance for Action will meet Friday, February 27, to hear reports on the Portal Bridge enhancement, Harrison’s transformation and greening projects. The site will be Hudson Manor at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites, 350 Route 3 West, Secaucus.

The program which will begin at 9 a.m. following registration at 8:15 a.m. will include:
-Nick Marton, Project Director of NJ Transit, on the Portal Bridge project.
-Peter Higgins, Chairman of the Harrison Redevelopment Agency, and Charles Lattini, Planner of Heyer-Gruel & Associates, on Harrison.
-Daniel DeTrolio, Assistant Vice President & Director of Government Relations, Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc., plus three members of the Sustainability Committee, on “Boarding the Green Train.”
Co-Chairs of the Hudson Alliance are County Executive Thomas A. DeGise, Dr. Carlos Hernandez, President, New Jersey City University and Eric Boyce, Business manager of Local 14, Plumbers Union. To register Go Here.

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