32:1-30. Belt lines

Belt lines.

The numbers hereinafter used correspond with the numbers which have been placed on the map of the comprehensive plan to identify the various belt lines and marginal railroads.

No. 1.--Middle Belt Line--Connects New Jersey and Staten Island and the railroads on the westerly side of the port with Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and the railroads on the easterly side of the port. Connects with the New York Central Railroad in the Bronx; with the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in the Bronx; with the Long Island Railroad in Queens and Brooklyn; with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad near Elizabethport and in Staten Island; with the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey at Elizabethport and at points in Newark and Jersey City; with the Pennsylvania Railroad in Newark and Jersey City; with the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Newark and Jersey City; with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in Jersey City and the Secaucus Meadows; with the Erie Railroad in Jersey City and the Secaucus Meadows; with the New York, Susquehanna and Western, the New York, Ontario and Western and the West Shore Railroads on the westerly side of the Palisades above the Weehawken tunnel.

The route of the Middle Belt Line as shown on said map is in general as follows: Commencing at the Hudson river at Spuyten Duyvil running easterly and southerly generally along the easterly side of the Harlem river, utilizing existing lines so far as practicable and improving and adding, where necessary, to a connection with Hell Gate bridge and the New Haven Railroad, a distance of approximately seven miles; thence continuing in a general southerly direction, utilizing existing lines and improving and adding, where necessary, to a point near Bay Ridge, a distance of approximately eighteen and one-half miles; thence by a new tunnel under New York bay in a northwesterly direction to a portal in Jersey City or Bayonne, a distance of approximately five miles, to a connection with the tracks of the Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley Railroads; thence in a general northerly direction along the easterly side of Newark bay and the Hackensack river at the westerly foot of the Palisades, utilizing existing tracks and improving and adding where necessary, making connections with the Jersey Central, Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, Erie, New York, Susquehanna and Western, New York, Ontario and Western, and West Shore Railroads, a distance of approximately ten miles. From the westerly portal of the Bay Tunnel and from the line along the easterly side of Newark bay by [at] the bridges of the Central Railroad of New Jersey (crossing the Hackensack and Passaic rivers) and of the Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley Railroads (crossing Newark bay) to the line of the Central Railroad of New Jersey running along the westerly side of Newark bay and thence southerly along this line to a connection with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad south of Elizabethport utilizing existing lines so far as practicable and improving and adding where necessary, a distance of approximately twelve miles; thence in an easterly direction crossing the Arthur Kill, utilizing existing lines so far as practicable and improving and adding where necessary, along the northerly and easterly shores of Staten Island to the new city piers and to a connection, if the city of New York consent thereto, with the tunnel under the Narrows to Brooklyn, provided for under chapter 700 of the laws of the state of New York for 1921.

No. 2.--A marginal railroad to the Bronx extending along the shore of the East river and Westchester creek connecting with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1), and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in the vicinity of Westchester.

No. 3.--A marginal railroad in Queens and Brooklyn extending along Flushing creek, Flushing bay, the East river and the upper New York bay. Connects with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1), by lines No. 4, No. 5, No. 6 and directly at the southerly end at Bay Ridge. Existing lines to be utilized and improved and added to and new lines built where lines do not now exist.

No. 4.--An existing line to be improved and added to where necessary. Connects the Middle Belt Line (No. 1), with the marginal railroad No. 3 near its northeasterly end.

No. 5.--An existing line to be improved and added to where necessary. Connects the Middle Belt Line (No. 1), with the marginal railroad No. 3 in Long Island City.

No. 6.--Connects the Middle Belt Line (No. 1), with the marginal railroad No. 3 in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. The existing portion to be improved and added to where necessary.

No. 7.--A marginal railroad surrounding the northerly and westerly shores of Jamaica bay. A new line. Connects with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1).

No. 8.--An existing line, to be improved and added to where necessary. Extends along the southeasterly shore of Staten Island. Connects with Middle Belt Line (No. 1).

No. 9.--A marginal railroad extending along the westerly shore of Staten Island and a branch connection with No. 8. Connects with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1), and with a branch from the outer belt line (No. 15).

No. 10.--A line made up mainly of existing lines, to be improved and added to where necessary. Connects with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1) by way of marginal railroad No. 11. Extends along the southerly shore of Raritan bay and through the territory south of the Raritan river reaching New Brunswick.

No. 11.--A marginal railroad extending from a connection with the proposed outer belt line (No. 15) near New Brunswick along the northerly shore of the Raritan river to Perth Amboy, thence northerly along the westerly side of the Arthur Kill to a connection with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1) south of Elizabethport. The portion of this line which exists to be improved and added to where necessary.

No. 12.--A marginal railroad extending along the easterly shore of Newark bay and the Hackensack river and connects with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1). A new line.

No. 13.--A marginal railroad extending along the westerly side of the Hudson river and the Upper New York bay. Made up mainly of existing lines--the Erie Terminals, Jersey Junction, Hoboken Shore, and National Docks Railroads. To be improved and added to where necessary. To be connected with Middle Belt Line (No. 1).

No. 14.--A marginal railroad connecting with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1), and extending through the Hackensack and Secaucus Meadows.

No. 15.--An outer belt line, extending around the westerly limits of the port district beyond the congested section. Northerly terminus on the Hudson river at Piermont. Connects by marginal railroads at the southerly end with the harbor waters below the congested section. By spurs connects with the Middle Belt Line (No. 1) on the westerly shore of Newark bay and with the marginal railroad on the westerly shore of Staten Island (No. 9).

No. 16.--The automatic electric system for serving Manhattan Island. Its yards to connect with the Middle Belt Line and with all the railroads of the port district. A standard gauge underground railroad deep enough in Manhattan to permit of two levels of rapid transit subways to pass over it. Standard railroad cars to be brought through to Manhattan terminals for perishables and food products in refrigerator cars. Cars with merchandise freight to be stopped at its yards. Freight from standard cars to be transferred onto wheeled containers, thence to special electrically propelled cars which will bear it to Manhattan. Freight to be kept on wheels between the door of the standard freight car at the transfer point and the tail board of the truck at the Manhattan terminal or the store door as may be elected by the shipper or consignee, eliminating extra handling.

Union terminal stations to be located on Manhattan in zones as far as practicable of equal tracking [trucking] distance, as to pick-ups and deliveries, to be served by this system.

Terminals to contain storage space and space for other facilities. The system to bring all the railroads of the port to Manhattan.

L.1922, c. 9, s. 5, p. 28 (1924 Suppl. s. 161-21).