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A report endorsed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suggests eliminating overnight PATH service, and privatizing some of the system's operations

(John Munson/The Star-Ledger)

JERSEY CITY — A report by the Port Authority that's supported by the governors of New York and New Jersey floats the idea of eliminating overnight PATH service and turning over the system's operation to an outside organization — public or private.



Those ideas, along with others in the 99-page report that was released Saturday night, were slammed today by Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who said curtailing service on one of the region's most vital transportation links would hurt not just his city's economy, but the state as a whole.



"I think that all too often politicians assume the public is stupid, and this is an example of that," said Fulop, a Port Authority critic whose administration in May filed a $400 million lawsuit against it alleging owed back taxes. "The fact that you're releasing a report in between Christmas and New Year's, the fact that there are components of it that are nothing more than a mere power grab."

But Port Authority Chairman John Degnan, who was on the panel that prepared the report, said the recommendations are not final and that curtailing service is one of several options to save money.

"I'm surprised (Fulop's) making comments without having inquired about the ideas and what's behind them," Degnan said.



Saying the PATH performs financially worse than other mass transit systems, the panel said it "could achieve operational and capital savings estimated to be at least $10 million per year from stopping service altogether between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on weeknights." The panel also suggested eliminating overnight weekend service, and left open the possibility of operating buses as an alternative to the trains.



The PATH — which connects New York City with Jersey City, Newark, Harrison and Hoboken — is one of the busiest mass transit systems in the country, averaging 73 million annual riders over the past five years.



But the PATH is one of just four 24-hour mass transit systems in the United States, according to the report, which claimed the overnight closure would have a minor effect on riders because they could "slightly alter their travel plans to ride the last train before operations cease or the first train after they recommence."



The report also said the Port Authority should "pursue the possibility of partnering with a third party operator, public or private, that manages urban transit or commuter rail service in order to improve the PATH's operational effectiveness and financial efficiency." That operator, the report said, could be outside the realm of the Federal Railroad Administration,"enabling a reduction in expenses resulting from these higher regulatory requirements currently imposed on the system."



Jersey City is undergoing a development boom, particularly around PATH stations. The 24 hour access to New York City, Fulop said, is a key part of the city's appeal to prospective residents.



"It's no secret that a lot of the growth that we've seen in areas of Hudson County have been attributed to light rail and PATH," Fulop said. "And rather than investing in the system, which they should be doing, this proposal is really counterproductive to New Jersey as a whole."



It's not just late night revelers who use the overnight service, Fulop said.



"The fact of the matter is that is going to have a huge impact on working families. Many people who use the PATH system have jobs in New York, have night hours in New York, and the fact that you would curtail access to mass transportation is troubling," he said.



Fulop also said he has "real concerns" about potentially privatizing operations, saying the Port Authority "needs to get its house in order and do it properly."

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer also vowed to fight the proposal.

"This irresponsible proposal is a classic example of being penny wise and dollar foolish," Zimmer said in a statement. "Shutting down overnight PATH service will cost the State of New Jersey many times the supposed savings in lost economic activity, sales tax and business tax revenues. Cities like Hoboken, Jersey City and Newark are growing because residents and businesses want good access to transportation options like the PATH. It is incomprehensible that any New Jersey official would be willing to even consider this proposal that would only hurt the State's economy."



The Port Authority report was written by a special panel appointed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The two governors endorsed its recommendations Saturday as they vetoed more far-reaching legislation to overhaul the agency that passed their states' Legislatures without opposition.

The legislation was written in the wake of the scandal over the closure of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge by Gov. Chris Christie's aides.

"It’s a total distortion of the original purpose of why these reforms were necessary," Fulop said of the report. "These reforms were necessary because of corruption, not because of the need to limit access to public transportation."

Degnan, the Port Authority chairman, stressed that the ideas in the report are not final.

"The PATH is losing $300 million a year. That is not a sustainable trajectory for the Port Authority, so we’ve got to find a way to make its operations more efficient," Degnan said.“The last option for me would be a curtailment of service. But in reality, if you’re looking at the costs, there are a very, very small number of people who use the PATH between midnight and 5 a.m. on weekends, and more so on weeknights."

Degnan also noted that a third party operator to run the PATH could be a public entity like NJ Transit. And he said the PATH could seek to reclassify itself as an urban transit system in order to qualify for federal funds.

"No one idea is fix it all," Degnan said.

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Matt Friedman may be reached at mfriedman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattFriedmanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.