We Get Results, But Need More Action

Earlier today, I submitted a comment to the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey regarding their facility in Hoboken, New Jersey. It seems that they've got a bit of a stink on their hands. Literally.

A corridor that leads to the station platform has been a problem for quite some time. One particular wall, which formerly had advertisements plastered to it (but were removed after they fell off due to corrosion), now has regular streaks of brown goo that smell like raw sewage every time it rains. The area is partially blocked off and has been for months now. A partial repair was done, but it was a slapdash cosmetic job (throw some concrete on the slop, put on a coat of paint, and see what happens).

Well, what happened is that the leaks immediately reappeared over the fresh coat of paint, the stink continues, and the partially blocked off corridor poses a safety hazard.

Here is the response:

We understand your concerns. PATH is in the process of planning a complete renovation of the walkway area from the NJ Transit stairs. Because of the extensive nature of the job, it will require all the time and planning of any major renovation. Since this project is just in the initial stages of planning, we do not yet have a timeline for it.

If you wish to use another approach to PATH trains in the Hoboken Station, you may consider walking alongside the first track and enter PATH via the middle turnstile area.

Thank you for using the website provided by The Port Authority of NY & NJ.

Sincerely,

Nice to know that they're going to be doing an extensive renovation, but don't have a timeline because they're in the initial stages. That's sure to solve the problem some time before I retire (30 years from now).

Of course, their suggestion to alleviate the problem is laughable - to go to the other end of the platform to get on the train. Yes, thousands of people who take PATH from Hoboken would love that one. The affected area is the section closest to NJ Transit trains, offers the most direct route to the trains from PATH, and may have raw sewage running into it from who knows where.

Now, I know that if this renovation gets done that passage would be closed to traffic for a period of time and we'd have to take the alternative route. However, don't you think the Port Authority would speed things up if people realized they were walking through an open sewer* to get to work and let the Port Authority know that they wouldn't tolerate this?

I do.

*I have no actual proof that the leak is sewage or that the passageway is an open sewer. I only have my own nose suggest the presence of sewage and the streaking on the walls to make my case. If some enterprising person would take tests to determine what is coming through and down those walls, it would be appreciated!