Port Jervis Line Planning for the Future

Transcription

1 Port Jervis Line Planning for the Future Port Jervis Line Planning for the Future July 18, 2013 Metro-North Railroad 1 1

2 What Is The Port Jervis Line? 60 mile extension in New York State of NJT s Main/ Bergen Line Owned by Norfolk Southern. Operated under a service agreement with NJ TRANSIT Infrastructure is Metro -North s responsibility Primarily serves Orange County - 7 Stations in Orange County - 1 Station in Rockland County What Is The Port Jervis Line? Major Stations - Harriman - Salisbury Mills - Middletown Current Service Weekday - 13 Inbound - 8 Peak Period - 5 Off Peak - No Reverse Peak Weekend - 7 Inbound PJL Market share is small compared East of Hudson 2

3 Peak Period Travel Time and Frequency * # Trains PSNY** WTC** GCT - Harriman (West of Hudson) - Beacon to GCT (East of Hudson) * Arriving destination between 6:00am and 10:00am ** Via transfer 4 History of Investments In 2003: Secaucus Transfer opened, reducing travel time to midtown Metro-North assumed responsibility for Port Jervis Line from Norfolk Southern Both initiatives required significant investment in the line Led to: - 21% growth in ridership - 53% expansion weekday service 3

4 Tropical Storm Irene On August 28, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene caused significant damage to the Port Jervis Line Catastrophic damage in the 14 miles between Harriman and Suffern: Washed away roadbed Exposed/underwater signal cables Twisted and misaligned track Exposed bridge structures Significant erosion of the ROW along the banks of the Ramapo River 6 Rebuilding Service 4

5 Before & After Restoring Full Service Full train service resumed on November 28, 2011 One month earlier than expected Photo Courtesy: Times Herald Record 5

6 Planning for the Future While repairs were ongoing, we also continued to focus on the future of the Port Jervis Line Need for Improved Transit Services between Orange County and Manhattan 19% of all Orange County workers employed out of the county commute to Manhattan, making it the largest out-of-county employment destination. (An increase of over 21% since year 2000) Between 2000 and 2009, ridership on the Port Jervis Line increased by 18.9% Studies point to recapture lost ridership and ridership growth in the future 11 6

7 What s Hampering PJL Potential? Infrastructure Constraints Predominately a single track railroad One yard at Port Jervis Two Seat Ride to NYC Planning Efforts Underway to Address Infrastructure Constraints: Port Jervis Line Capacity Improvements Double track from Sloatsburg to Moodna Viaduct Contruct yard midway along the Port Jervis Line 7

8 BUILDING THE TWO WAY STREET Construct a double track from Sloatsburg to Moodna viaduct One Passing Siding Replace/Rehabilitate multiple structures Perform station improvements System improvements Civil work Fill in Agency Name on Master 14 Finding A Place to Park A Mid Point Yard In addition to the usual factors (cost and environmental impact) for an infrastructure project, we look at: Potential for Train Mile Reductions Ease of Operations/Maintenance Reliability Tangent Track Fill in Agency Name on Master 15 8

9 Basic Passenger YARD Configurations Stub Ended Yard Double Ended Yard Status Advancing conceptual work for double tracking and Mid Point Yard Next Steps: Complete Port Jervis Line Capacity Improvements Analysis Recommend preferred Mid Point Yard location 9

10 Double Track and Mid Point Yard Benefits Provide more cost effective service: More frequent peak and off-peak service Introduce zonal, express and reverse peak services Obtain full benefits of any potential future trans-hudson connection Support future transit options to Stewart Airport 18 Opening New Markets The West of Hudson Regional Transit Access Study (WHRTAS) Completed Phase I of the Study Analyzed various alternatives and selected a short list for further evaluation: Direct Bus Services to/from the south Direct Commuter Rail from Port Jervis Line Bus Services from Salisbury Mills Station Bus Services connecting from the Hudson Line 19 10

11 West of Hudson Regional Transit Access Study (WHRTAS) Immediate goal: preserve 4 mile right-of way between the Salisbury Mills-Cornwall Station & Stewart Airport before further development takes place Long term goal: future expansion of commuter rail or bus rapid transit WHRTAS Key Project Benefits Transit access to/from Stewart and surrounding area Local economic development & smart growth opportunities 11

12 More Project Info Website: QUESTIONS + ANSWERS 22 Fill in Agency Name on Master 23 12