TIME TO BE PROACTIVE ON STATEN ISLAND

We were glad to see that the Staten Island Advance was following up with the issue of the Bayonne Bridge in today’s addition.

When 150 feet just isn't enough

http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1214394342262970.xml&coll=1


We have been trying to get our local officials attention to this matter for over a month. Below is from our blog of 5/21

“We have a Homeport that has been idle for years. In 2014 improvements to the Panama Canal will allow for cargo ships that will not be able to pass under the Bayonne Bridge. These ships will need someplace to go. But we continue to ignore the Homeport”.

For full blog click link below

While the Advance story addresses the issue of the bridge we think that our local officials should be looking proactively to accommodate these new super tankers.

If they can’t fit under the bridge we should be considering providing ports on this side of the bridge.

We have the Homeport which has been doing nothing but gathering dust since the Navy pulled out and miles of shoreline on the North shore with a rail system that could very easily connect it to Howland Hook.

Just like New Jersey did to pull shipping away from the Brooklyn Navy yards years ago.

Planning to dismantle or rebuild the Bayonne Bridge while a good idea will take decades especially at the speed that the Port Authority works.

One only has to look at Ground Zero. Seven years and we are not even above street level.

Our elected officials should be all over this as it would provide jobs for decades to come.

While they are at it maybe they should also talk to the people at Hunts Point.

It seems that they are not happy with their facility and are threatening to move to Jersey.

We could think of quite a few spots on Staten Island ideal for that facility and the jobs it would bring.

Again would there be problems of course but at least these options should be considered.

The additional economic benefits and tax revenue might even get us some additional funding to improve the rest of the infrastructure on Staten Island.

This is all probably pie in the eye thinking as we have said before, the problem with Staten Island is that we spend most of our time being inactive or reactive (we do like to complain) but we are almost never proactive.

Well here is an opportunity. Let’s see if we even get into the discussion.


http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=42959