Why is the Cross Harbor Freight Program needed?
In 2007, an estimated 1.1 billion tons of freight were moved by truck through the New York City and Long Island region, including northern and central New Jersey, western and southern Connecticut, and portions of southern New York and eastern Pennsylvania. By 2035, this demand is projected to increase to more than 1.5 billion tons as a result of forecasted growth in employment, personal income, and economic activity, creating unprecedented pressure on the region’s transportation infrastructure. The region’s ability to serve its markets is increasingly threatened by its heavy reliance on trucking goods over an aging and congested roadway network, while non-highway freight modes, particularly rail and waterborne, remain underdeveloped and underutilized. In addition, the flow of freight in the region is complicated by the historic physical barrier of the Hudson River and New York Harbor, which separates the large consumer markets of New York City, Long Island, and New England (east of the
