Lettiere, Wisniewski to remedy
rail noise in Sayreville
(Sayreville) - Standing side-by-side with residents of Sayreville’s Green Valley neighborhood, State Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettiere today announced the start of CSX/Conrail’s plan to reduce rail freight noise in the borough, resolving an issue that has plagued the residents for nearly 30 years.
Working in conjunction with Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski and CSX/Conrail officials, Commissioner Lettiere approved $1.9 million agreement to fund a series of improvements that will allow CSX/Conrail to move a rail car storage facility away from homes and to a more remote section of the borough. Work is slated to begin by mid-November.
In March, Lettiere announced an initial $250,000 down payment for the project with the hope of finalizing a fully funded agreement by the end of 2003.
“The residents of Sayreville will now have the long-awaited relief from the rail noise associated with the storage of freight cars,” said Lettiere. “As promised earlier this year, we are making a substantial investment to improve the quality of life in this neighborhood, while still furthering the economic viability of this region’s freight rail system.”
Joining Lettiere for a ceremonial “rail spike pulling” were Assemblyman Wisniewski, who brought the matter to DOT’s attention, as well as Mayor Kennedy O’Brien, CSX/Conrail Vice President Bim McGheehan and residents of the Green Valley neighborhood.
"The storage of rail cars behind Zaleski, Oak Tree and Creamer Drive has been an ongoing problem for close to thirty years,” said Assemblyman Wisniewski (D-Sayreville). “I thank Commissioner Lettiere and Conrail for coming together and working with me to find a solution to improve the quality of life for the residents of Sayreville. This project will eliminate the need to store rail cars behind these homes, and today we are pleased to announce that the final step has been reached. In less than three weeks Conrail will begin the process of tearing up the secondary tracks which will to end this incompatible use.”
The noise remedy project involves the creation of a new storage area at the end of CSX/Conrail’s Sayreville Secondary line near Route 1 in North Brunswick. In an agreement with NJDOT, CSX/Conrail has agreed to shut down the tail end of the line and create additional storage area that will allow company to store rail cars that are currently stored in the Green Valley section of Sayreville.
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