MNR held an open house June 12th in Newburgh, NY (Orange County) to present the latest information on the West of Hudson Regional Transit Access Alternatives Analysis Study (WHRTAS). WHRTAS has been initiated by MNR in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and in cooperation with New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and New Jersey Transit (NJT) to improve mobility and accessibility in the West of Hudson region. The study’s goal is to identify and assess transit solutions to improve mobility and accessibility between Orange County and Stewart International Airport and the surrounding regions, Lower Hudson Valley and New York City. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is the Lead Agency and the Study will comply with all FTA requirements and will be conducted in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.
WHRTAS is being conducted in two phases. Phase I is the initial Alternatives Analysis (AA) phase, which evaluates the benefits, costs, and impacts of a broad range of transit alternatives with the potential to meet the project’s goals and objectives and concludes with the recommendation of a short list of alternatives. Phase II will then further develop and evaluate the short list of alternatives and conclude the Alternatives Analysis phase with a recommended Locally Preferred Alternative.
MNRCC member Randy Glucksman attended the open house on behalf of the Council. The findings of Phase I are detailed in The Alternatives Analysis Phase I Screening Report.