Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the highest-ranking Northeastern member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, hailed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s approval of the major redevelopment of Greenville Yards in Jersey City. This redevelopment plan with transform Greenville yards into a modern intermodal facility for the movement of commodities by rail and barge. This important redevelopment, funded through a $100 million dollar appropriation secured by Congressman Nadler in the 2005 transportation bill, will further the Port Authority’s efforts to take trucks off of the roads and transition to more sustainable modes of freight movement.
“Today’s announcement of the approval of the major redevelopment of Greenville Yards is a major milestone in New York and New Jersey and our efforts to move away from truck freight and toward more sustainable and efficient means of transporting goods,” said Congressman Nadler. “This advancement of rail freight is good news for the environment, for the reduction of truck traffic, and for economic development throughout New Jersey and New York. I am pleased that I was able to provide federal funding to make this project possible, and I want to thank Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor Chris Christie, Port Authority Executive Director Patrick J. Foye, Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni, Port Authority Chairman John Degnan, and Port Authority Vice Chairman Scott Rechler for their crucial work on this issue. I look forward to working with the Port Authority and both states as we address our region’s over dependence on polluting trucks.”
New York receives more than $1 trillion worth of freight per year – everything from food to furniture – mostly by trucks coming over the roads and bridges of Northern New Jersey and the five boroughs. Trucks transport more than 90 percent of our region’s freight, while rail handles less than two percent.