Project Description

New York City is bisected by two critical transportation corridors: Interstate 95 to the north, and Interstate 278 to the south. Of these, Interstate 95 receives more concentrated and coherent policy attention because its essential role in the region is well recognized.  It is highly efficient, yet operates nearly at capacity and has little prospect for further expansion. In contrast, the Interstate 278 corridor follows a more circuitous route, has lower design standards, and has traditionally received only fragmented attention by the agencies responsible for its constituent parts.

With planning underway for the construction of a Cross-Harbor Freight Tunnel between New Jersey and Brooklyn, now is an appropriate time to take stock of I-278 as a multimodal corridor, in terms both of its current role in the region, and of its potential as a catalyst and a lifeline for the region’s future growth.  This study will develop and evaluate proposals for how innovative policies and management strategies throughout the I-278 corridor can maximize the economic, environmental, and quality of life benefits from the region’s and the nation’s investment in the Cross-Harbor Freight Tunnel.  The study will take a holistic, interdisciplinary approach, drawing leading scholars from the region’s universities and civic organizations together to develop fresh policy perspectives.