Rothman Secures $3.6 Million For 400 New Parking Spots
At North Hackensack Rail Station
Funds Will Add New Parking Deck For Commuters, Shorten Travel Time

River Edge - Continuing his efforts to improve the lives of Northern New Jersey commuters, Congressman Steve Rothman (D-NJ9) today announced that he has secured $3.6 million in federal funds to help construct a new parking deck at the North Hackensack rail station on the Pascack Valley Line. The funds, which will be combined with $1.9 million from NJ Transit, will add 400 new spaces to the facility, which presently has 173 spots. Currently, area residents have to compete for parking spaces through a lottery system due to high demand. An estimated one-third of parking space applicants are denied.

     "The days of competing for parking spaces at the North Hackensack train station are coming to an end with these federal funds for a new, 400 car parking deck," said Rothman, who used his position on the House Appropriations Committee to secure the funds. "Building a new parking deck at the North Hackensack rail station will allow hundreds of additional residents to quickly park right next to the station instead of walking long distances, depending on others for a ride, or parking their cars far away before they board their train. Being able to park right at the station without worrying about whether a space will be available will enable commuters to get to work more easily and to get home to their family and friends quicker."

     The new 400 vehicle parking deck, located at the intersection of Kinderkamack Road and Grand Avenue in River Edge, will be adjacent to the current surface parking lot with 173 spaces, resulting in a total of 573 parking spaces. Conceptual design of the new parking deck is complete, and the final design will be completed next year. Construction is expected to start in 2005 and be completed in 2006.

     "The $3.6 million for this parking deck is yet another example of Congressman Rothman's success in bringing federal funds to New Jersey and improving transportation infrastructure and public transit," said NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman and State Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettiere.

     NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George D. Warrington said, "Thanks to the continued support of Congressman Rothman in his key position on the House Appropriations Committee, NJ TRANSIT is now ready to advance a project that will deliver at least 400 new parking spaces to support the Secaucus transfer station on the Pascack Valley Line and a new economic development tool for the community."

     "This parking deck is the solution so many area residents have been asking for as they seek to shorten their commute," Rothman said. "I am very pleased that I was able to help these hardworking North Jersey commuters by securing this $3.6 million to construct a parking deck for 400 additional vehicles. This is what the people of the region wanted and I am proud that I was able to get it done."

     Just last month, Rothman got other federal funds to relieve traffic congestion across Northern New Jersey. Last month, he gained the full House Appropriations Committee's approval of $3.2 million to relieve traffic congestion on Route 17 and $4 million for rail stations and park-n-rides in Bergen County. As a new member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Rothman secured the funds as part of the Transportation Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2004. That measure is scheduled to be taken up by the full House in September.

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