(erielack) More Good news for the Cutoff

[STEVEZ10_@_aol.com]

I just read this interesting article today


>=20
> "By MATT BIRKBECK=20
> Pocono Record Writer=20
> mbirkbeck_@_poconorecord.com New Jersey has agreed to pay $21 million for th=
e=20
> Lackawanna Cutoff, clearing a major hurdle towards the restoration of=20
> passenger rail service between the Poconos and New York City by 2005. The=20
> price also includes the purchase of the Slateford Junction Bridge, which=20
> spans the Delaware River, and nearly a mile of track into Pennsylvania. Th=
e=20
> purchase agreement was reached between the New Jersey Department of=20
> Transportation and businessman Jerry Turco, who owned the cutoff and the=20
> bridge. NJDOT officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but Jim=20
> Redeker, planning director for New Jersey Transit, confirmed the agreement=
,=20
> saying New Jersey was moving quickly toward restoring rail service. 'This=20
> was a big piece of the puzzle,' said Redeker. Rick Peltz, deputy secretary=
=20
> for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, called the purchase=20
> 'positive.' 'I give them a lot of credit in New Jersey. They really have=20
> their stuff together,' said Peltz. New Jersey had condemned the Lackawanna=
=20
> Cutoff, which is 26 miles of rail bed between Port Morris, N.J., and the=20
> Delaware River, in 1997 after years of fruitless negotiations with Turco.=20
> The value of the cutoff was then left up to the courts. But NJDOT and Turc=
o=20
> finally reached agreement to prevent further haggling over the Slateford=20
> Junction Bridge. Pennsylvania officials sought to purchase the bridge, but=
=20
> negotiations stalled, and the Monroe County Railroad Authority moved towar=
d=20
> condemning the bridge. The condemnation proceedings would have taken=20
> several years and delayed plans to restore rail service. New Jersey decide=
d=20
> to buy the bridge and recoup some of its costs later from Pennsylvania.=20
> State Rep. Kelly Lewis, R-189, is seeking the inclusion of $4 million in=20
> this year's state budget to be used as Pennsylvania's contribution towards=
=20
> the purchase of the cutoff and the bridge. The last major hurdle to clear=20
> before actual construction can begin is the purchase of 10 miles of track=20
> between Slateford Junction and Analomink. Talks between the track's owner,=
=20
> Norfolk/Southern, and the Monroe County Railroad Authority are moving=20
> along, said Lawrence Malski, executive director of the Lackawanna County=20
> Railroad Authority and a consultant to the MCRA. 'Negotiations are=20
> proceeding well,' said Malski. Once that purchase is complete, Pennsylvani=
a=20
> and New Jersey can begin drawing down the $184 million approved by the=20
> federal government for the project. One million dollars has already been=20
> appropriated for preliminary engineering work. Officials are seeking=20
> another $4 million to finish that work in 2002. Pennsylvania and New Jerse=
y=20
> must still negotiate an operating agreement to run New Jersey Transit=20
> trains into northeastern Pennsylvania.=20
>=20
> Copyright =A9 May 30, 2001, Pocono Record"=20
> Return to www.poconorecord.com=20
>=20
>=20



Here is a link that might be useful: <A HREF=3D"http://www.poconorecord.com/=
">pocono record</A>

------------------------------