NJDOT announces contingency
plans for possible NYC transit strike

"We have pulled together this plan using our experience from 9-11 and, in particular, the 1980 transit strike, as a way of making things a little easier in the unfortunate event of a transit strike in New York," Deputy Commissioner Lettiere said. "Our hope is that this contingency plan will not be necessary, but we have laid the necessary groundwork to ensure that our response is pro-active, thorough, and helpful to everyone who must get to New York."

Details of the plan, which include a truck staging area and customer service representatives, are as follows:

• Park and Ride capacity will be expanded at the following four locations:
• PNC Arts Center, Exit 116, Garden State Parkway.
• Mother’s Park and Ride Lot, Route 23, Wayne.
• Vince Lombardi Park and Ride, Exit 18, N.J. Turnpike.
• Giants Stadium, lots 9c, 11c, and 13.
• Lot 18 at Giants Stadium will be used as a staging area for trucks from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Due to the delivery prohibition in New York from the hours of 6:00 am to 10:00 am, the lot will provide a safe staging area for trucks to use, rather than lining up on the shoulders of roadways.
• Variable Message Signs will be in place along key state highways, including the Turnpike and the Parkway, to advise motorists of conditions in real time.
• NJDOT will expand the hours of its existing Emergency Service Patrols on routes 78, 80, 287, and 280 in order to assist motorists with disabled vehicles.
  
• The N.J. Motor Truck Association will issue a nationwide alert to the trucking community regarding the potential for the strike and the contingency plans being put into place.
• NJDOT will install trailblazing signs to help motorists locate park and ride locations.
• The N.J. Turnpike Authority will locate towing equipment on its Hudson Bay Extension to quickly move any disabled vehicles blocking a lane of traffic.
• Ferry service operated by NY Waterway and Sea Streak have additional seating capacity. Users can access their websites for schedules and docking locations. (www.nywaterway.com and www.seastreak.com).
• Customer Service representatives will be stationed at all staging areas mentioned above and major parking and ride lots to assist motorists, answer questions, and provide information.
• Information will be available on www.njcommuter.com advising which NYC park and ride lots have available spaces for commuters to use.
• Continuous information and updates will be available on the Port Authority’s website www.panynj.gov, New York’s website www.nyc.gov and on www.njcommuter.com.

In addition, NJ TRANSIT’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line has connections to PATH and NY Waterway ferries.

"We want to stress that people will not be on their own should a strike occur," said Lettiere. "We will provide a visible, continuous presence and we will do everything within our power to mitigate the effects of this strike."