NYT Article About the Westward Sprawl From NYC and the Commuter Rail (Scranton: real estate)

[SteelCityRising]

I have come across this May 30, 2004 New York Times article that highlights how the continued westward sprawl from NYC into NWNJ and NEPA has deteriorated the quality-of-life for people in these areas. As of 2004, the article claims that inbound morning rush-hour traffic would already back up to nearly the Hackettstown, NJ exit (and I'd assume that it might even be worse today). The article states that in 1994 only 98,000 vehicles per day traveled along I-80 through Rockaway, NJ, the midpoint between the Delaware Water Gap and the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan. In 2004, just a decade later, this had increased to 160,000 vehicles per day, and given that rate of an increase of 6,200 vehicles per year using that stretch of roadway, that would now put the estimate at around 178,000 vehicles per day using that part of I-80, which is absolutely ludicrous. To give you an idea of just how congested this is, imagine how clogged I-81 gets between Scranton and Moosic during the evening rush hours as commuters reverse-commute from Montage Mountain back to Scranton. It can be a near-standstill at times. Then realize that only around 80,000 vehicles per day use that stretch of roadway per day, or less than half that utilize that stretch of I-80 through Rockaway, NJ.

The article also states that between 1990 and 2004, 168,000 new residents have moved into Northeastern Pennsylvania and Northwestern New Jersey, and I'm sure many thousands more have moved here between 2004 and 2007. State legislator Mario Scavello said that in 2004, 20,000 residents of Monroe County commuted to work in other states, and I'm sure that number has only increased since then, adding more congestion to I-80 in NJ. A woman in the article stated that she must leave her home a half-hour early every morning just to drive FIVE MILES on I-80 to her bus stop.

The article states that the rail line will be operational by 2008, which we all know won't happen. Now that our nation is deep in red ink thanks to President Bush and all of his wars, it could be many more years until this project gets off the ground. Just how much more congested will I-80 become? I was on I-80 today (SATURDAY) in Stroudsburg, and traffic was heinous---I can only imagine what it must be like during the weekday rush.

Lemmings, lemmings, lemmings is all I can think. People keep on complaining about urban sprawl, yet instead of targeting greedy real estate developers, they point the fingers elsewhere. Why?

[geos]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

Lemmings, lemmings, lemmings is all I can think. People keep on complaining about urban sprawl, yet instead of targeting greedy real estate developers, they point the fingers elsewhere. Why?

Exactly right. The problem is these sterile, energy inefficient sidewalk free, car centered communities that REQUIRE driving and people are flocking to them like mindless lemmings. Or should I say dinosaurs because their fate is sealed just as surely only they're too stupid to see the meteorite coming. The meteorite being guaranteed high energy prices and shortages.

[tsedeski]

It doesnt have to be developments like this. If the locals truely want something different than CONTROL it. The pics below show a low cost infrastructure with no curb and gutter, no sidewalk and likely minimal storm water management (SWM).

Smart permitting and zoning authorities should require these added infrastructure items by rewriting zoning ordinances. The developers will only build what is needed to sell the individual house lots. New Urbanism is the NOW thing in high development areas. Land planners and architects are trying to recreate the old style neighborhood with alleys, detached garages and pedestiran friendly neighborhoods. NEPA is 2 decades behind.

Now if these changes are made housing costs will increase BUT its smarter growth and it creates more of what NEPA is all about. IMHO.