| Author | Message | ||
     Jeff Alexander Citizen Username: Jalexander Post Number: 64 Registered: 5-2003 |
Anyone have any idea when the NY bound platform is FINALLY due to be finished? it is such a crowded mess in the mornings! Also, does anyone ever work on it? it seems like it has been in the exact same state for months | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 135 Registered: 3-2005 |
Coming Soon! | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 2001 Registered: 4-2002 |
Jeff: NJ transit says they are waiting for the state inspection to open up that section. Of course, that will just mean another section will be closed off for them to work on. It also does not explain why they are not working on the stairs by second street. They will be working on redoing the old roof in the fall which will mean scaffolding on Sloan street. They are about one year behind the original construction schedule. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 289 Registered: 1-2004  |
I still do not understand how they can get away with one means of egress for such an extended time period. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 2524 Registered: 5-2001  |
That's still at least 3 years ahead of schedule by the standards of all other South Orange projects!  | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 1218 Registered: 8-2002 |
And isn't the big part of waterproofing -- tearing up each of the tracks and repairing the structure underneath -- the next multi-years phase of work? Long time to come before NJ Transit has finished with this mess... Pete | ||
| GlassJoe Citizen Username: Glass_joe Post Number: 11 Registered: 6-2005  |
Howard- Watch it. The voters of this town have spoken. It is clear that the majority of us prefer not to question things as they are and continue on as if all is well. NJ Transit can/will do as they damn well please. **The Sopranos should film on the train line. It would probably be too close to the real "organized" thing though. | ||
| Sheena Collum SHU Citizen Username: Sheena_collum Post Number: 160 Registered: 4-2005  |
GlassJoe, Just a few points of clarification for you... Re: "The voters of this town have spoken. It is clear that the majority of us prefer not to question things as they are and continue on as if all is well." This is courtesy of Daniel Goldberg in an election thread: "Eric Devaris, Howard Levison, Jeff DuBowy, John Pogany, and David Belasco together received the majority of the votes. They received 4352 votes vs. Line C's 3668 votes." So there really was no huge majority whichever way you wish to see (Challenger v. Incumbent Preference per say). Furthermore, to insinuate that the democratic process needs to be silenced because the "majority has spoken" is so... so... I can't even think of an extreme enough word for it... actually - "tyranny of the majority" comes to mind... It's not only the right of citizens to question their leadership but it is an obligation... and you will find that concept alive and in full force on MOL... that's all (sorry if the post sounded harsh.. I didn't mean for it to come across that way) | ||
| Sheena Collum SHU Citizen Username: Sheena_collum Post Number: 161 Registered: 4-2005 |
P.S. GlassJoe - if you were being sarcastic, disregard my last post... I'm starring at what you wrote wondering if you were serious or messing around... (you can't tell tone on MOL...) | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 25 Registered: 6-2005 |
When NJ Transit was sold the property to build the parking lot, weren't certain promises made about fixing and restoring the station? I thought there were. And if so, were they legally binding, with timelines and milestones? Heck, South Orange residents don't even have priority when it comes to getting commuter parking spots. What exactly was the deal with NJ Transit, and are they living up to their end? | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 290 Registered: 1-2004 |
Just keeping with the current topic - Mark quote from another thread - "Under the train station is dark (and will be a real problem in the fall when it gets dark earlier) and dirty. I would not want to buy anything with all the falling paint, leaking water and the ongoing construction." This is the "gateway" to what will be the Main entrance to SOPAC! | ||
| GlassJoe Citizen Username: Glass_joe Post Number: 12 Registered: 6-2005 |
My Dearest Sheena- I admire Howard almost as much as I secretly admire you. xox Glass Joe | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 2002 Registered: 4-2002 |
MHD: Original plans to start renovations at the train station were in NJ transit's budget in .... 1992. They had indicated construction was going to start that year. Pete: I agree, the waterproofing of the tracks is going to be the toughest part of the schedule. Howard: As pointed out ages ago, the waterproofing was supposed to be done years ago and new lighting was going to be installed. Despite all the delays with SOPAC it looks like it will beat NJ transit to the finish line. Also, I would venture to say most will be coming into the theater from the NJ transit lot and not through the viaduct. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 293 Registered: 1-2004 |
Mark, so therefore we should ignore the eyesore. Who is our liaison to NJT? Maybe we can have NJT come to a BOT meeting and make a presentation on their properties stating what they are planning and what they have in process with current schedule projections. | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 136 Registered: 3-2005 |
I agree the train staiton is dark and dingy. Simple lighting would be a great improvement. In addition, the sidewalks under the station on South Orange Avenue should be lit too. Walking from the station westbound in the evening gives me the "not so safe" feeling. Vacant buildings, dark alleys and underpasses. Good combination for potential problems. It is a simple fix to install or replace the lights that are out. Mark. You recognized this as a problem. What is being done from a BOT standpoint to address and resolve this problem. This could be a big win to fix. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 2003 Registered: 4-2002 |
Sheena: NJ transit has been coming at least once a year to BOT meetings. They give us an update and try to address any questions (and complaints). We had them come to the station during the rush hour to make sure they saw first hand the overcrowding situation. Several commuters gave them their opinions. One offshoot of that meeting was getting the 8:22 moved to the center track with a different train to NY coming a few minutes later to handle the local stops. The waterproofing part of the project must be completed before they can fix up under the station. Improvements under the station include improved lighting, patching the concrete, cleaning, and painting. Red: The hardest part has been getting them to speed up the work. They recognize the problems and claim the only thing stopping them is money. Since some of the waterproofing work means shutting down the tracks (one at a time for several weeks), they need to coordinate the train schedule. The exact same scope of work is being done at the Brich Church station so the track closing will be from S. Orange to E. Orange. They say that most of the track closings will be during the summer. Originally, that part of the project was supposed to start this summer, but one can see it will now be next summer (at best). I did ask the News-Record to do an article on the NJ Transit delays. They have a new reporter so I will ask again. Several employees from NJ transit live in the area so we know that they read the paper. | ||
| ROGER Citizen Username: Roger Post Number: 21 Registered: 2-2005  |
UMMMMM..... __________________________________________________ Quote: "NJ Transit has been coming at least ONCE A YEAR to BOT Meetings. They give us an update and try to address any questions (and complaints)." __________________________________________________ Terrific. It must be tough to spare time to go to a meeting "at least once a year" The blind leading the blind. But still not sure who is leading who. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 294 Registered: 1-2004 |
Mark, my question - do we have a liaison to the NJT? I assume there is an active dialogue on a Parking Deck. Can you give some insight on any progress. | ||
| susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 694 Registered: 3-2002 |
Roger...how many times a year do you think they should present at meetings? How many train stations are there in NJT's domain? Are we willing to raise fares so that NJT can hire more employees just to go to meetings? I agree that the slow pace of progress is frustrating, but am not sure that more public meeting attendance is the answer. Presumably the BOT and town employees have more than yearly contact with NJT. I think that Howard is asking the right question about whether there is one person taking the lead in the relationship with NJT. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 2004 Registered: 4-2002 |
Howie: Many years ago I know they had some kind of elected officials liason that any member of the BOT could contact. If that person still exists he is hidden. I have sort of taken it upon myself to contact NJ Transit over the years and have had contact (in person and email) with several different people. Each division at NJ transit has a different contact person. We have to deal with them in regards to the construction, parking, schedules, and maintenance of the station. If you are looking for one official person it would be the village administrator and he is the one who is the lead person with regards to parking including the possibility of a deck. At this point it is still in negotiations. |
