Title
Dept/ Agency: Engineering
Action: ( ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Adopting a Policy
Purpose: A Resolution of Support that states that the City of Newark and the Municipal Council hereby supports the preliminary preferred alternative, Concept 3C, complete bridge replacement for the Clay Street Bridge on the existing alignment, with a movable bridge over a100 foot wide waterway channel of the Passaic River.
Additional Information:
body
WHEREAS, to qualify to receive federal funding for the preliminary and final design phase, a Resolution of Support for the project from the City of Newark is appropriate and will be included in the Local Concept Development study documentation; and
WHEREAS, the Hudson County/Essex County Clay Street Bridge, spanning the Passaic River and connecting the City of Newark and the Borough of East Newark, was constructed in 1908 and is a critical transportation connection for residents and commuters in both counties; and
WHEREAS, the Office of the Hudson County Engineer and the Office of the Essex County Engineer, has determined that the bridge is in need of major rehabilitation and/or replacement and through a federally funded Local Concept Development process administered by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) has performed an alternatives analysis to identify and evaluate viable and feasible alternatives to rehabilitate and/or replace the bridge; and
WHEREAS, the NJTPA and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) have been project team members with Hudson and Essex Counties; and
WHEREAS, the project team held two (2) public information centers, each with afternoon and evening sessions, to inform the public and receive comments and input for the project and used Twitter and maintained a project website to further assist the public in obtaining information about the project; and
WHEREAS, the project team met with respective municipal representatives to inform them and receive comments and input for the project; and
WHEREAS, based on the alternatives analysis and the public and municipal comments, the project team’s preliminary preferred alternative (PPA), referred to as Concept 3C, is a complete replacement of the bridge on the existing alignment with a moveable bridge over a 100 foot wide waterway channel of the Passaic River; and
WHEREAS, the new bridge will comply with the City of Newark’s Complete Streets Policy by accommodating travel by pedestrians, bicyclists and motorized vehicles; and
WHEREAS, the new bridge accommodates the future commercial and recreational users of the Passaic River and is critical for improving economies for business in the area; and
WHEREAS, the new bridge will address the continuing disturbance and delays to vehicular and pedestrian traffic as a result of frequent maintenance to the existing bridge due to its serious overall condition; and
WHEREAS, the Counties of Hudson and Essex will continue to maintain and operate the new Clay Street Bridge; and
WHEREAS, the Counties of Hudson and Essex are desirous of completing the Local Concept Development phase and proceed to the preliminary and final design phase.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The City of Newark and the Municipal Council hereby supports the preliminary preferred alternative, Concept 3C, complete bridge replacement for the Clay Street Bridge on the existing alignment with a movable bridge over a100 foot wide waterway channel of the Passaic River.
2. The City of Newark is not required to provide any funds for this project.
STATEMENT
The City of Newark and the Municipal Council hereby supports the preliminary preferred alternative, Concept 3C, complete bridge replacement for the Clay Street Bridge on the existing alignment with a movable bridge over a 100 foot wide waterway channel of the Passaic River.