Next year's closure of the Pulaski Skyway for a two-year reconstruction project could result in a morning rush car pool requirement for the Holland Tunnel into Manhattan.
As NBC 4 New York first reported last month, New Jersey Department of Transportation plans call for inbound New York and Jersey City traffic to be banned from the skyway during the $1 billion rehabilitation. Two outbound lanes would always be maintained during the project.
Local officials are now talking about car pool requirements for the thousands of commuters who use the Holland Tunnel every morning in order to minimize the number of motorists looking for detours on local streets to get to the tunnel.
"Single-occupancy vehicles have got to be banned while this is going on," said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy.
But that would complicate the commute for many.
"That would be messed up. I go by myself every morning," said Manhattan commuter Andrew Cancel, who added he doesn't know anyone he could carpool with.
He said he would drive from his Jersey City home several extra miles to the George Washington Bridge in order to get into New York.
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The state DOT is looking at several alternatives, including turning a shoulder lane of the Newark Bay Extension of the Turnpike into a third travel lane.
As for the car pool requirement for the inbound Holland, Assistant DOT Commissioner Anthony Attanasio said, "Any effort to minimize the number of single-occupancy vehicles, we would encourage."
A source in the Port Authority, which controls the tunnel, said he doubted the agency would ever back such a car pool rule.
