NJ Transit: coastal line repairs are ongoing

BY KENNY WALTER
Staff Writer

 An award of $231 million in federal Sandy aid to NJ Transit will be used to repair damage that the Oct. 29 superstorm caused to the North Jersey Coast Line and for mitigation to protect against future storms.  KENNY WALTER An award of $231 million in federal Sandy aid to NJ Transit will be used to repair damage that the Oct. 29 superstorm caused to the North Jersey Coast Line and for mitigation to protect against future storms. KENNY WALTER LONG BRANCH — A $144 million infusion of federal Sandy funding will keep repair and mitigation work to NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line on track.

“The projects that have been identified [have] been proposed to make our infrastructure more resilient and stronger in the face of future superstorms, which would be on par or exceeding that of Sandy,” NJ Transit spokesman John Durso said in a May 16 interview.

“There is a lot of work that is already underway. As of right now, $231 million has been awarded to NJ Transit from the federal government that is related to storm repairs, as well as emergency transportation costs.”

Earlier this month, NJ Transit was awarded $144 million in federal funding under the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013. This brought the total of Sandy funds awarded to NJ Transit up to $231 million.

The North Jersey Coast Line operates from Bay Head to New York, with stops in the county at Matawan-Aberdeen, Hazlet, Middletown, Red Bank, Little Silver, Long Branch and Elberon.

Durso said the North Jersey Coast Line was probably the most damaged rail line in the state.

“The system is running right now; it’s 100 percent. We are running through that area,” he said. “But along the North Jersey Coast Line, more than three miles of track was completely washed away.

“More than 30 miles of track was damaged going from South Amboy to Bay Head.”

According to NJ Transit, the rail line’s right-of-way, bridges, signal controls and many stations were significantly damaged by both wind and water from the storm. Repairs and mitigation to protect against future storms include building sections of sea wall, installing sheathing to prevent washouts at bridges, raising interlocking apparatus, and elevating electrical and rail line housings.”

NJ Transit’s infrastructure suffered extensive damage throughout the state from the storm, including the flooding of the Rail Operations Center or “the central nervous system of the railroad,” several rail stations, and rail washouts across the system.

Both U.S. senators from New Jersey lauded the funding announcement in a joint press release.

“Receiving these Sandy relief dollars is an important step forward for NJ Transit on its road to full recovery,” said Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development.

Menendez said he would continue to work on securing funding to enable the railroad to take proactive steps toward maintaining service.

“We know that these reimbursements and repairs are only the beginning of NJ Transit’s improving its ability to sustain severe weather events and get the people of New Jersey moving as quickly as possible afterwards,” he said in a press release.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) explained the importance of the funding to NJ Transit.

“This federal investment will help ensure that NJ Transit can repair and rebuild stronger than before,” he said in the joint press release. “Commuters from across the region depend on New Jersey’s transit systems, and superstorm Sandy dealt a devastating blow to residents and businesses throughout the area.

“This federal funding is crucial to New Jersey’s rebuilding process, and we’ll continue working to provide the investments needed to keep the trains running on time.”

Lautenberg is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and co-author of the Sandy relief legislation.

More than 300 rail vehicles suffered damage during the storm throughout the state. As of March 24, 110 of the 114 rail vehicles for the North Jersey Coast Line had been repaired.

Durso said the majority of the damage to the coastal line was repaired within weeks of the Oct. 29 superstorm.

“The coast line was one of the most damaged — if not the most damaged — rail line,” he said. “There is no question about that.

“There were portions of track that were impacted around the Bay Head area, around the Point Pleasant area, as well as around South Amboy.”

Durso said there is no timeline for the repairs to be completed.

“We are continuing to go through the process right now; it’s an ongoing process,” he said.