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P.O. Box 600 Trenton, NJ Contact: Anna Farneski
609-530-4280 RELEASE:
October 27, 2003
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Lettiere,
Wisniewski announce start of improvements to remedy rail
noise in Sayreville
(SAYREVILLE) Standing
side-by-side with residents of Sayreville’s Green Valley
neighborhood, State Transportation Commissioner Jack
Lettiere today announced the start of CSX/Conrail’s plan to
reduce rail freight noise in the borough, resolving an issue
that has plagued the residents for nearly 30 years.
Working in conjunction with Assemblyman John S.
Wisniewski and CSX/Conrail officials, Commissioner Lettiere
approved $1.9 million agreement to fund a series of
improvements that will allow CSX/Conrail to move a rail car
storage facility away from homes and to a more remote
section of the borough. Work is slated to begin by
mid-November.
In March, Lettiere announced an initial
$250,000 down payment for the project with the hope of
finalizing a fully funded agreement by the end of
2003.
“The residents of Sayreville will now have the
long-awaited relief from the rail noise associated with the
storage of freight cars,” said Lettiere. “As promised
earlier this year, we are making a substantial investment to
improve the quality of life in this neighborhood, while
still furthering the economic viability of this region’s
freight rail system.”
Joining Lettiere for a
ceremonial “rail spike pulling” were Assemblyman Wisniewski,
who brought the matter to DOT’s attention, as well as Mayor
Kennedy O’Brien, CSX/Conrail Vice President Bim McGheehan
and residents of the Green Valley neighborhood.
"The
storage of rail cars behind Zaleski, Oak Tree and Creamer
Drive has been an ongoing problem for close to thirty
years,” said Assemblyman Wisniewski (D-Sayreville). “I thank
Commissioner Lettiere and Conrail for coming together and
working with me to find a solution to improve the quality of
life for the residents of Sayreville. This project will
eliminate the need to store rail cars behind these homes,
and today we are pleased to announce that the final step has
been reached. In less than three weeks Conrail will begin
the process of tearing up the secondary tracks which will to
end this incompatible use.”
The noise remedy project
involves the creation of a new storage area at the end of
CSX/Conrail’s Sayreville Secondary line near Route 1 in
North Brunswick. In an agreement with NJDOT, CSX/Conrail has
agreed to shut down the tail end of the line and create
additional storage area that will allow company to store
rail cars that are currently stored in the Green Valley
section of
Sayreville. | |