nymtc regional freight plan - New York Metropolitan Transportation ...

A Freight Plan for the NYMTC Region
Other Impacts
The development impacts of a large intermodal yard at Maspeth are addressed in
Section 5.3.3 below related to the Cross Harbor rail tunnel. An initial small bulk-only yard
could be accommodated on the existing Phelps Dodge site. The Harlem River Yard is
located within the coastal zone and non-freight transportation interests are competing for
the site. The 65 th Street yard is part of an existing and extensive former transportation hub
that has retained limited transportation functions over the years. The Pilgrim site is
isolated from surrounding residential areas with potentially excellent rail and highway
access.
The regional environmental impact of the four freight village projects would generally be
positive, although increased local truck and rail activities could have some negative
impact. The local economic impacts would be positive due to the development of new
freight and industrial activity. Freight villages can contribute to regional connectivity in
almost all corridors. The greatest physical barrier to creating freight villages is the lack of
available land for new facilities. In addition, community attitudes toward the introduction
of new industrial activities tend to be mixed. The projects involve the introduction of
more modern intermodal technology to the region.
Responsible Organizations/Action Plans
1. NYSDOT, MTA, Amtrak, CSX, and PANYNJ – Assess potential development of
Harlem River yard as an intermodal terminal.
2. NYSDOT – Conduct the Pilgrim EIS.
3. NYCEDC – Complete Cross Harbor EIS (re: 65 th Street and Maspeth).
4. NYMTC – Conduct a regional feasibility study of other yard or water access opportunities
(such as Newtown Creek and the South Brooklyn waterfront), building on
NYMTC’s 2002 inventory.
5.3.3 Strategy 3.C – Improve Cross-Hudson Rail Service
Action 1 – Improve Existing Float Services between New Jersey and Brooklyn
Description
Bulk cargo is floated across the harbor between Greenville Yards in Jersey City, New
Jersey, where it interchanges with national rail carriers, and the 51 st Street Yard (Bush
Terminal) in Brooklyn, where it is delivered locally or interchanged with the New York
and Atlantic Railroad. The volume of this cargo has dwindled in recent years. In 1998, in
an effort to make the existing float service more attractive, the NYCEDC opened two new
float bridges at the 65 th Street Yard in Brooklyn. The Cross Harbor EIS describes the construction
of new float bridges at the Greenville Yards as part of the Transportation System
Management (TSM) Alternative. This plan would require the active support of New
Jersey transportation agencies and the PANYNJ.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 5-32