Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Bike JC @bikejc.org · 20h

It’s happening everywhere, including our region: governments backing away from disastrous, deadly, ludicrously outdated plans to add highway car capacity. @govmurphy.bsky.social when will you cancel the @turnpiketrap.org debacle?? @njturnpike.org
@mikiesherrill.bsky.social

Open Plans @openplans.org · 21h

Thank you @governor.ny.gov & NYS DOT for pausing the Hudson Valley Highway expansion & for scrapping plans to build a traffic diversion structure along the Cross Bronx Expressway! Now, instead of widening the Cross Bronx, we need more investment in public transit & public space.

1 3

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Travis Fedschun @travfed.bsky.social · 1d

Someone tell that to Gov. Murphy about widening the NJ Turnpike.

New York Focus @nysfocus.bsky.social · 1d

Reporting from New York Focus last year found that the Hudson Valley highway expansion would save drivers six minutes max, at a cost of $1.3 billion.
nysfocus.com/2025/10/14/h...

Hochul Hits Pause on Hudson Valley Highway Expansion

Reporting from New York Focus last year found that the project would save drivers six minutes max, at a cost of $1.3 billion.

nysfocus.com

2 6

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

talyaschwartz.bsky.social @talyaschwartz.bsky.social · 2d

Huge news! Congrats to the advocates who managed to put together an amazing community led coalition, and the elected's who stood by their side. Now NJ DOT needs to do the same and cancel the massive turnpike expansion. Please spare us the pollution, home devaluations, asphalt, and increase in cars.

Tim Donnelly @timdonnelly.com · 3d

check out @davecolon.bsky.social and @nyc.streetsblog.org as they get ACTION! nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/10/09/s...

State DOT Scraps Cross Bronx Expansion Road On Highway Repair Plan - Streetsblog New York City

The state Department of Transportation will not build a "traffic diversion" structure next to the Cross Bronx Expressway — a highway expansion project that Streetsblog exposed.

nyc.streetsblog.org

1 5

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

talyaschwartz.bsky.social @talyaschwartz.bsky.social · 2d

And another one! NYDOT is starting to see the light. We need to repair highways, not widen them, highways cost $$$$. We can put all that money into better solutions; first class buses and trains, smarter freight, connect our cities and towns, and reduce driving dependency statewide.

New York Focus @nysfocus.bsky.social · 2d

NEW: A controversial highway expansion in the Hudson Valley has been delayed after pushback from transportation planners and environmentalists.

Last year, New York Focus reported that the project would cost the state at least $1.3 billion and save drivers just one to six minutes.

Hochul Hits Pause on Hudson Valley Highway Expansion

Reporting from New York Focus last year found that the project would save drivers six minutes max, at a cost of $1.3 billion.

nysfocus.com

1 3 18

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Cia @ciabernales.com · 2d

@mikiesherrill.bsky.social been waiting for Light Rail to Westside for 20 minutes in the wind and rain. It’s rush hour and 4 trains already went pass for other destinations not my own.

When do you think you can join me in commuting to and from work to get my vote?

#njtransit #njtransitsucks

2 6

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Transportation Alternatives @transalt.org · 7d

This weekend we debuted our Tiny Super Sidewalk on Canal Street!

Canal is one of the most dangerous streets in Manhattan, and there's not enough space for the huge number of pedestrians. But both of these problems can be solved by extending the sidewalks!

2 10

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

volunteer for your local land use board @thenewjerseyer.bsky.social · 20d

All of these communities in NJ would be revolutionized by a political class that cared about transit.

Justin Fox @byjustinfox.bsky.social · 22d

Big surprise: New York is the only US city where most households don't have cars. But there are some big zero-car minorities across the river in New Jersey and in Washington, Boston and San Francisco. From new column with gift link: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

2 6 49

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Justin Fox @byjustinfox.bsky.social · 22d

Big surprise: New York is the only US city where most households don't have cars. But there are some big zero-car minorities across the river in New Jersey and in Washington, Boston and San Francisco. From new column with gift link: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

11 32 100

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Matt da Silva @mdasilva.bsky.social · 13d

Fun fact - the NJ Turnpike extension through downtown Jersey City roughly follows the path of the now-underground Mill Creek. Imagine if we ripped out the highway and restored the creek…

Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com · 13d

Every bold urban transformation asks a question: what will people remember—the controversy or legacy?

Showing great leadership, Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak bet on the latter, replacing a motorway with a waterway.

Two decades later, absolutely no one regrets the decision or remembers the controversy.

5 27

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Super_bus_Machine 🏳️‍🌈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☘️ @super-bus-machine.bsky.social · 15d

Chris Christie 2.0 all over again. Pausing this will just end up costing us even more. We do not have a choice, we have to build this tunnel. @mikiesherrill.bsky.social

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 15d

The Trump administration is putting a hold on roughly $18 billion to fund a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, as well as the city’s expanded Second Avenue subway project because of the government shutdown.

Trump administration puts on hold $18 billion in funding for New York City infrastructure projects

The Trump administration is putting a hold on roughly $18 billion to fund a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, as well as the city’s expanded Second Avenue subway project because of the government shutdown.

bit.ly

2 4

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Super_bus_Machine 🏳️‍🌈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☘️ @super-bus-machine.bsky.social · 16d

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Why US Cities Pay Too Much for Transit Buses

A new paper argues that lack of competition, demand for custom features and “Buy America” rules have driven up costs for transit agencies in the US.

www.bloomberg.com

1 2

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Cia @ciabernales.com · 20d

@mikiesherrill.bsky.social Middle of the day HBLR experience: there is a West Side train approaching Exchange Place, but the timetable on screen says 7 mins away. The next train is 19 minutes away; maybe, maybe not? I invite you to commute to and from work using the HBLR to get my vote! #njtransit

HBLR Jersey City and Transit app screenshot letting us know that a train is coming. But the next one is 18 minutes later.

2 3 9

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Transportation Alternatives @transalt.org · 20d

It's time to Fix Canal Street! DOT is collecting feedback on the upcoming redesign, and they need to hear from you.

The Fix Canal Team analyzed the plan — here's what we like about it, and here's what we'd like to see more of...

First, make sure you answer, YES! You support the redesign.

Reimagining Canal Street - Design Proposal Survey

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

www.surveymonkey.com

1 1 6

Turnpike Trap @turnpiketrap.org · 27d

Governor Murphy has defunded investment in NJ Transit by $2.4B over 10 years while increasing funding for highway expansions to $24B over 10 years. It is no accident our trains and buses are constantly breaking down.

#turnpiketrap

1 28 81

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 28d

"NJ Transit reported 634 cancellations due to mechanical issues over the three-month period, the highest number under any year since Murphy took office in 2018. This summer, they rose for the third consecutive year." -- newjerseymonitor.com/2025/09/17/m...

Mechanical, equipment failures drive NJ Transit's summer train cancellations • New Jersey Monitor

NJ Transit reported 1,646 canceled trains between June and August, the third-worst summer the agency has seen under Gov. Phil Murphy.

newjerseymonitor.com

4 6 23

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Better Blocks NJ @betterblocksnj.bsky.social · Sep 11

Bus Lanes benefit everyone.

Sign the petition to support bus lanes in Jersey City.

1 4 12

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Larry Higgs @commutinglarry.bsky.social · Sep 11

More canceled light rail trains make kids 40 minutes late to school. www.nj.com/news/2025/09...

NJ Transit slams Light Rail operator after cancellations leave students late for school

Students were 40 minutes to class due to no-show light rail trains causing NJ Transit to demand a contractor to run those trains.

www.nj.com

2 4

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Transportation Alternatives @transalt.org · Sep 10

"Nine months into the program, there’s every reason to believe that congestion pricing is actually one of the best things to happen to New York City’s streets in the automobile age." -
amNewYork's editorial board

Editorial | The progress of congestion pricing | amNewYork

New York state reported that congestion pricing had taken nearly 3 million vehicles off the streets in August.

www.amny.com

1 7 26

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Streetsblog NYC @nyc.streetsblog.org · Sep 9

You remember the dire predictions about congestion pricing inducing more traffic and higher emissions in the South Bronx. Well none of them have come to pass, according to data analyzed by Charlie Komanoff.

KOMANOFF: Data Show South Bronx Isn’t Seeing Increased Traffic from Congestion Pricing - Streetsblog New York City

The central business district toll did not lead to a traffic influx in the South Bronx, our columnist reveals.

buff.ly

6 85 350

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Transportation Alternatives @transalt.org · Sep 9

It's time to finally Fix Canal. No more deaths.

TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m., Community Board 3’s Transportation Committee will discuss the future of Canal Street. To demand pedestrian safety, meet us at the Confucius Plaza Community Room at 33 Bowery at Bayard Street.

2 9

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Effective Transit Alliance @etany.org · Sep 8

New York is a special place in a lot of ways, but that doesn't include the reality of how transportation works.

Cities all over the world have long moved to one-person and fully automated trains.

Indeed, we do it in NY right now on the G & M trains, with no effect on safety.

But Blair Lorenzo, the Effective Transit Alliance’s executive director, said experiences in other cities prove otherwise.

”We see this across the world and we see across the country that one-person train operation is incredibly safe, and often no-person train operation is incredibly safe, if designed well,” Lorenzo said. “It’s kind of hard to argue with the fact that there are so many places doing it right now.”

Samuelsen dismissed experiences in other cities, noting New York City’s trains operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day. “ Other cities are other cities, and New York City is unique,” he said.

1 7 23

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Super_bus_Machine 🏳️‍🌈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☘️ @super-bus-machine.bsky.social · Sep 8

"even better than helping traffic to move better would be to acknowledge that Canal Street is effectively narrowed due to the blocks with frequent double parking, and simply turn today’s double-parking lane into tomorrow’s curb."

reorientations.medium.com/what-should-...

What should be done about Canal Street?

By Annie Weinstock

reorientations.medium.com

1 1

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Cia @ciabernales.com · Sep 8

I like the new design of Transit app. But it doesn’t matter, the Light Rail didn’t bother to show up at the “scheduled” 8:11am anyway. #njtransit #njtransitsucks @mikiesherrill.bsky.social

3 1 4

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Samuel Santaella @samuelsantaella.bsky.social · Sep 5

Let me shoutout a powerful op-ed written by a colleague of mine real quick. Check it out:

Op-Ed | Cut-through traffic is clogging residential streets; here’s what we can do about it www.amny.com/opinion/cut-...

Op-Ed | Cut-through traffic is clogging residential streets; here’s what we can do about it | amNewYork

It turns out most of the drivers in my neighborhood—more than half!—aren’t residents, or visiting a resident or a local business; they’re just cutting through

www.amny.com

3 3

Reposted by Turnpike Trap

Upzone New Jersey 🏗️ @upzonenj.bsky.social · Sep 3

From Q4 2020 to Q1 2024, highway construction costs increased 71.5%. That's the dirty little secret with projected highway construction costs, they're all fake underestimates certain to increase. enotrans.org/article/high...

Highway Construction Costs Continue to Rise at 9.6% Annual Rate - The Eno Center for Transportation

October 1, 2024 - The Federal Highway Administration reported this week that highway construction costs rose again in the first quarter of calendar year 2024, at an annualized rate of 9.6 percent (a 2...

enotrans.org

1 5