Clues but No Full Account of Order That Turned a N.J. Town Into a Parking Lot

[cpzilliacus]

N.Y. Times: Clues but No Full Account of Order That Turned a New Jersey Town Into a Parking Lot

It would seem a minor whodunit for a small suburb: On the first day of school in September, three access lanes leading from Fort Lee, N.J., streets to the George Washington Bridge were unexpectedly and mysteriously shut down. Cars backed up, the town turned into a parking lot, half-hour bridge commutes stretched into four hours, buses and children were late for school, and emergency workers could not respond quickly to the day's events, which included a missing toddler, a cardiac arrest and a car driving into a building.

But the George Washington Bridge is the world's busiest, and New Jersey is led by one of the nation's most pugnacious and prominent politicians, Gov. Chris Christie – who also happens to appoint the people who control the bridge.

So the unfolding story of the lane closings has become something of a cause célèbre, resulting in a hearing before the New Jersey Legislature on Monday, as well as a window into the proudly aggressive and often secretive dealings of Mr. Christie's team.

[Alps]

This was the closure of Martha Washington Way, which was indeed done as a study, despite the insistence of the conspiracy-minded editorial author. (This does not have the tone of an actual news article, despite nothing indicating otherwise.) Actually living in northeast NJ, I've heard enough about this study, which was supposed to go on longer but was cancelled due to results like this. There was more than 3 days' notice given, too. It seems like the author is conveniently ignoring any facts or quotes that don't fit the tone of the editorial.

[NE2]

This was the closure of Martha Washington Way, which was indeed done as a study, despite the insistence of the conspiracy-minded editorial author.

Got a citation for that? I wouldn't expect the WSJ to buy into a liberal conspiracy theory: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2013/11/13/port-officials-say-little-about-septembers-george-washington-bridge-lane-closures/

[bzakharin]

From the headline it sounds like the article is about tearing down a town to build a parking lot. Even after the first few lines I thought "oh, the roads were shut down; then, when they were reopened a town was no longer there". Would have been a more interesting story, though, of course turning Fort Lee into a parking lot is a bit much. Maybe a smaller town.

[hotdogPi]

Maybe it was just turned into a fort.

[Alps]

This was the closure of Martha Washington Way, which was indeed done as a study, despite the insistence of the conspiracy-minded editorial author.

Got a citation for that? I wouldn't expect the WSJ to buy into a liberal conspiracy theory: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2013/11/13/port-officials-say-little-about-septembers-george-washington-bridge-lane-closures/

Um, I work in the industry. The reason I don't trifle with Wiki is because they require documentation for everything, a lot of which is merely things I have come across, and know to be factual, but cannot produce proof (in some cases, without going thousands of miles back where I came from).

[NE2]

I'm not asking for Wikipedia. I simply want to know more about this. It's better than Bengoatse.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Yesterday's Star-Ledger mentioned it was "for a study" as well for what I remember, they also want the PA official ousted.

[cpzilliacus]

N.Y. Times: Port Authority Investigating New Jersey Lane Closings

The inspector general of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey opened an investigation on Tuesday into the sudden closing of three lanes on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge in September, which caused huge traffic backups, and the actions of a close associate of Gov. Chris Christie who ordered the shutdown.

Officials in Fort Lee, N.J., which turned into a parking lot when local access lanes to the bridge were closed on the first day of school, have charged that the closings were retaliation against the borough's mayor, a Democrat who had declined to endorse Mr. Christie, a Republican, for re-election.

Michael Nestor, the deputy inspector general and director of investigations at the Port Authority, confirmed the inquiry, and another official with knowledge of the matter said it would seek to determine whether any crimes had been committed, and whether there was any "abuse of authority"  or "gross mismanagement."

At a legislative hearing in Trenton on Monday, two Port Authority employees said that they were told to close the lanes by David Wildstein, a high school classmate of Mr. Christie's and a former political blogger who worked as director of interstate capital projects; Mr. Christie's chief appointee at the authority created the position for him.

[jeffandnicole]

At a legislative hearing in Trenton on Monday, two Port Authority employees said that they were told to close the lanes by David Wildstein, a high school classmate of Mr. Christie's and a former political blogger who worked as director of interstate capital projects; Mr. Christie's chief appointee at the authority created the position for him.

This is what happens when you get together in high school...

"I dare you to unsnap Susie's bra"

"I double dare you to put a pushpin on Mr. Myers seat"

"I double dog dare you to chug a beer"

"I triple dog dare you with a cherry on top to close an entire roadway, clogging up half of North Jersey"

Oh dude...you are ON!!!

[cpzilliacus]

"I triple dog dare you with a cherry on top to close an entire roadway, clogging up half of North Jersey"

Oh dude...you are ON!!!

Good analogy, but I still don't see what the point of this was.  Given the traffic volumes involved, it is far too easy for the press to eventually figure out what was going on, and finger the person (or persons) responsible.  And having just won a big re-election victory, I am sure that the media would love to bring Chris Christie down a notch or two.

Anybody that would engage in this sort of stuff probably ... needs to be sent back to high school for some remedial lessons.

[cpzilliacus]

This was the closure of Martha Washington Way, which was indeed done as a study, despite the insistence of the conspiracy-minded editorial author.

Has anyone at the Port Authority ever heard of computer simulation of traffic?  Seems (to me) a much better way and (non-destructive) method to examine the impacts of such a closure.

Even if the Port Authority does not have anyone on-staff that can collect the data and calibrate a simulation model, there are plenty of engineering consultants that can do this sort of work.

(This does not have the tone of an actual news article, despite nothing indicating otherwise.) Actually living in northeast NJ, I've heard enough about this study, which was supposed to go on longer but was cancelled due to results like this. There was more than 3 days' notice given, too. It seems like the author is conveniently ignoring any facts or quotes that don't fit the tone of the editorial.

As I suggested above, I am sure that most reporters covering New Jersey would love to bring Gov. Chris Christie down a notch or two.  Even if he is entirely without blame.

[jeffandnicole]

This was the closure of Martha Washington Way, which was indeed done as a study, despite the insistence of the conspiracy-minded editorial author.

Has anyone at the Port Authority ever heard of computer simulation of traffic?  Seems (to me) a much better way (and non-destructive) method to examine the impacts of such a closure.

(This does not have the tone of an actual news article, despite nothing indicating otherwise.) Actually living in northeast NJ, I've heard enough about this study, which was supposed to go on longer but was cancelled due to results like this. There was more than 3 days' notice given, too. It seems like the author is conveniently ignoring any facts or quotes that don't fit the tone of the editorial.

As I suggested above, I am sure that most reporters covering New Jersey would love to bring Gov. Chris Christie down a notch or two.  Even if he is entirely without blame.

The Star Ledger (nj.com) tries to find Christie at fault for just about everything.

Heck, they tied the failing Obamacare website to Christie: http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2013/09/christies_obamacare_fiasco_edi.html

[Mr. Matté]

The Star Ledger (nj.com) tries to find Christie at fault for just about everything.

Heck, they tied the failing Obamacare website to Christie: http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2013/09/christies_obamacare_fiasco_edi.html

"They" being the editorial board in this case, not the news department.

[jeffandnicole]

The Star Ledger (nj.com) tries to find Christie at fault for just about everything.

Heck, they tied the failing Obamacare website to Christie: http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2013/09/christies_obamacare_fiasco_edi.html

"They" being the editorial board in this case, not the news department.

Read their stories on a daily basis.  "They" means everyone.

And to point it out as well: The paper endorsed Christie for re-election. And then basically printed what sounded like an apology for doing so.

[NE2]

Heck, they tied the failing Obamacare website to Christie: http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2013/09/christies_obamacare_fiasco_edi.html

How dare they? That's like blaming Bush for Katrina when everyone knows it's the liberals who control the weather.

[cpzilliacus]

The Star Ledger (nj.com) tries to find Christie at fault for just about everything.

Heck, they tied the failing Obamacare website to Christie: http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2013/09/christies_obamacare_fiasco_edi.html

I did not read that at all.  My take is that they got after Christie for not setting up a New Jersey-specific Web site to handle ACA processing for Garden State residents, leaving them to deal with the troubled federal site.

[jeffandnicole]

The Star Ledger (nj.com) tries to find Christie at fault for just about everything.

Heck, they tied the failing Obamacare website to Christie: http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2013/09/christies_obamacare_fiasco_edi.html

I did not read that at all.  My take is that they got after Christie for not setting up a New Jersey-specific Web site to handle ACA processing for Garden State residents, leaving them to deal with the troubled federal site.

Right...and yes, that's what it said.  But just imagine if the situation was reversed...actually, forget that.  Just imagine if Christie set up a website...Any problems would be magnified.  Daily readers of the website/paper, as one will note in the comment section, are very familiar with the antics of the newspaper company.

[NE2]

Just imagine if Christie set up a website...Any problems would be magnified.

[citation needed]

[jeffandnicole]

Just imagine if Christie set up a website...Any problems would be magnified.

[citation needed]

Here you go:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=992.0

Terms & Conditions:

-The messages express the views of the author of the message

[Alps]

(Attempting to get back on topic)
I can confirm that this was done as a study. Any political implications about why it was studied are an exercise best left to editorials. It may not have been done thoroughly/properly, though, i.e. as someone mentioned, involving a thorough traffic engineering study. I haven't seen any materials related to the study or any of the traffic volumes involved, so as a traffic engineer I have to withhold any further comment.

[_Simon]

I'm not asking for Wikipedia. I simply want to know more about this. It's better than Bengoatse.

Since, after exhaustive research, you seem to be the only one that can;  could you please define Bengoatse?

[NE2]

could you please define Bengoatse?

A gaping hole in Alanlandian embassy security that led to the murders of four goats.

[mc78andrew]

This guys presidential bid is going to be legendary.  I can't wait to watch. 

Dem NJ assemblyman complaining about a culture of fear at the port authority?  Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black. 

Two outbound lanes were closed tonight on the upper level...traffic was jammed on the entire cross Bronx and up the New England thruway to at least the hutch exit in co-op city where I hopped off.  It almost looked like a truck only freeway that was stopped dead. 

[cpzilliacus]

It may not have been done thoroughly/properly, though, i.e. as someone mentioned, involving a thorough traffic engineering study.

At least with the public-sector agencies I deal with, closing an access ramp as part of any study would not be allowed - by policy.

I haven't seen any materials related to the study or any of the traffic volumes involved, so as a traffic engineer I have to withhold any further comment.

If a report is released at some point, it would likely make for interesting reading.