Construction at the Tunnel Gate
In case you haven't heard, a $90 million dollar infrastructure project will kick off next week. This project will reinforce the supporting structures to Route 495 (the 3-mile long strip of road that connects the NJ Turnpike to the Lincoln Tunnel). The project is expected to last 2.5 years, during which the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel will lose one lane of traffic.
At this time we cannot be sure of the effect on traffic, or Boxcar's bus schedule. On the one hand, Lincoln Tunnel traffic is tough to begin with, and it's hard to see how removing 1/3 of the lanes will make it any better. On the other hand, Braess's paradox gives us some optimism that - well - who knows.
We don’t have a crystal ball, but we are watching the situation closely. If we need to tweak our bus schedules to continue making sure you get to work on time, we’ll let you know. For the moment, though, our schedules will remain the same.
If there is a silver lining for Boxcar riders it is that the Express Bus Lane will remain unaffected and open throughout this construction.
As we did during the 2017 Summer of Hell, we’d like to help make this mess a little more manageable for Garden State commuters. We’ve talked to many residents of Chatham and Madison who currently drive to NYC each day and are looking for alternatives. If we have enough interest, we’d like to start a 5:45 am bus.
If you know someone who would be interested, please ask them to email support@boxcarapp.com, or fill out this form. If you have suggestions for other routes/times, we’d love to hear them as well.
