The ongoing fight to reduce car dependency in our region took a dramatic turn this month. New Jersey quietly walked back a major highway expansion, while New York City kept wrestling with street safety, transit equity, and curbside chaos.
From the future of the New Jersey Turnpike to debates over parking placards and fare-evasion turnstiles, transportation advocates are pushing both states to rethink how people get around. They’re also raising tough questions about who pays the price when policy falls short.
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Turnpike Expansion Scaled Back – But Not Stopped
At Streetsblog’s annual fundraiser, the outlet spotlighted its core mission: ending car dependency. This year, that mission came with a rare but significant win for highway opponents in New Jersey.
Gov. Phil Murphy quietly abandoned plans to add new travel lanes to the New Jersey Turnpike east of Exit 14A. Environmental justice groups, planners, and local residents had fiercely criticized this controversial proposal.
For a state long wedded to highway mega-projects, scrapping new lanes marks a notable shift.
The Newark Bay Bridge Still Grows Wider
The story doesn’t end there. The state still plans to replace and widen the Newark Bay Bridge, a key link between Newark, Bayonne, and the Hudson County waterfront.
They’re also building new port-access ramps to handle freight traffic. Advocates warn that even without the extra Turnpike lanes, a larger bridge and new ramps will invite more vehicles.
That means more traffic, more air pollution, and more cut-through driving on local streets in communities like Jersey City and Bayonne. Without robust transit investments and stronger protections for local streets, this “scaled-back” plan could still make things worse.
New York City’s Street Battles: Placards, Snow, and Safety
Across the Hudson, New York City’s transportation politics remain as turbulent as ever. With a new administration stepping in, advocates see a rare chance to reset the city’s priorities on streets, sidewalks, and public space.
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Placard Abuse and Curbside Chaos
Incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces immediate calls from transportation advocates to crack down on the entrenched culture of parking perks. Placard abuse—where official parking permits are misused or forged to dodge tickets and hog curb space—remains one of the city’s most visible symbols of inequality.
Some activists want to eliminate parking placards entirely. Others push for stricter enforcement, better technology, and a dramatic rethink of how the city allocates curb space, from loading zones to bus lanes to bike corrals.
Snow, Ice, and Transit Riders Left in the Cold
New York’s credibility on street management took another hit after a relatively minor winter storm. Snow and ice removal at bus stops, parks, and schools was poor.
Manhattan avenues got cleared for drivers first, but bus riders and pedestrians found themselves climbing over mounds or walking in traffic lanes. In a city that claims to prioritize climate and equity, why do car lanes always get cleared first while basic access to transit stops and public spaces lags behind?
Traffic Violence, Media Access, and a New Economic Justice Post
Street safety once again dominated the headlines. The death of an 88-year-old Upper East Side resident struck by a driver underscored the ongoing toll of traffic violence, especially on older New Yorkers.
Accountability for Police and Policy Makers
The New York City Council passed legislation pressing the NYPD to provide journalists with access to police radio feeds. Advocates argue that real-time access can improve accountability after crashes and other emergencies.
Across the river in Albany, Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have required similar public access statewide. New York now has a patchwork of rules.
On the economic front, Mayor Eric Adams appointed Julie Su as the city’s first Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice. Her new portfolio will include labor and consumer regulation, which could touch everything from gig-worker protections for delivery riders to enforcement around unsafe vehicles in low-income neighborhoods.
Transit Turbulence: Turnstiles and Ticket Fees
Transit riders didn’t get much relief either. New York’s rollout of redesigned anti-fare-evasion turnstiles has been bumpy, with glitches, confusing layouts, and concerns that the focus on enforcement overshadows the need for more frequent, reliable service.
New Fees for Commuter Rail Riders
Commuter rail passengers are feeling the squeeze. A new $2 fee now hits riders holding unactivated tickets—a move agencies say is aimed at modernizing fare systems and curbing fraud.
Riders see it as just another surcharge in a region where the cost of simply getting to work keeps climbing.
On a lighter note, the Streetsblog roundup closed with a cultural touch: a new book about Flaco the owl. Flaco’s dramatic escape from captivity and life above Manhattan streets turned him into an unlikely symbol of freedom—and maybe a little reminder that even in a car-dominated landscape, other ways of living are possible.
What It All Means for Jersey City
For folks living in Jersey City, these stories hit close to home. Highway decisions over Newark Bay shape daily air quality and bus delays.
They also affect the pace of cut-through traffic in our neighborhoods. New York’s policy shifts ripple across the river, influencing PATH ridership and regional funding debates.
Our own officials feel the pressure on street safety and public space. As more visitors look beyond Manhattan, interest is rising in Jersey City hotels near PATH stations and transit hubs.
Local leaders are getting nudged to keep up with that growth—think safer crosswalks, better bike lanes, and cleaner air. Tourists and new residents keep asking where to stay in Jersey City, but that’s not all—they want to know how easy it is to walk, bike, or ride transit once they get here.
For long-time locals, fighting car dependency is part of daily life. Whether it’s picking the safest route to school or navigating the city’s patchwork of city districts without a car, it’s a constant consideration.
When we debate new development, we’re also talking about things to do in Jersey City that don’t involve circling for parking. People want smarter ways of getting to Jersey City by train, ferry, or bus.
The regional conversation keeps shifting. Jersey City, once just a pass-through, is now right in the mix.
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Here is the source article for this story: Monday’s Headlines: Turn-SPIKED! Edition – Streetsblog New York City
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