By Bill Beren • Transportation Committee Chair
Once again, the Sierra Club is a national sponsor of Drive Electric Earth Day. Local groups, including The NJ Chapter’s Gateway Group, are sponsoring events during Earth Week at which owners exhibit their electric cars and talk one-on-one to individuals who want to learn more about owning and operating them. The Gateway Group’s event will be at Erie Lackawanna Plaza in Montclair on Saturday, April 22, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Another event will be in Madison at the Sunday Motor Company Café on April 19. Anyone who wishes to display their vehicles can sign up at driveelectricearthday.org. People interested in owning an electric car can just show up, but pre-registration is requested.
Electric School Buses
New federal and state grant programs for electric school buses are available. Please look at our electric bus webpage for the latest information regarding these grant programs. Members who are interested in getting involved should attend their local school board meetings and urge the district to apply directly or through their school bus contractor. Technical help in applying for the grant is available from the local school bus distributors, such as H.A. DeHart for Thomas Built Buses and Hoover Truck for Blue Bird.
Our webpage includes a number of nontechnical articles and reports that provide helpful advice to districts and parents interested in purchasing and operating electric school buses, including an NJ Buyers’ Guide to Electric School Buses that was written by members of our Transportation Committee.
Turnpike Expansion
The proposed replacement and expansion of the NJ Turnpike extension through Bayonne and Jersey City from 4 to 8 lanes has hit a snag, as new cost projections raised the price of the expansion to $10.6 billion from the original estimate of $4.7 billion. While the Sierra Club supports state-of-good-repair projects, including the rebuilding of the 8-mile extension and bridge, we oppose doubling the capacity of the roadway, which will increase vehicular traffic without reducing congestion.