On Wednesday, July 25th, the de Blasio Administration announced new funding that will further strengthen the West Shore of Staten Island and New York City’s freight and distribution industry. The City will provide $2.5 million to improve access to and from Global Container Terminal – New York (GCT) and the Matrix Development, two major industrial job hubs in the borough.
The City’s investment will help improve access to the two industrial job hubs by converting Forest Ave into a streamlined one-way street and improving signal configuration between Gulf Avenue and Goethals Road North on Staten Island.
This intersection has long been disruptive for many of the jobs-intensive industrial and distribution uses on the West Shore of Staten Island. GCT is the largest marine terminal in New York State, with over 300 jobs. The Matrix Development site, which will be home to new IKEA and Amazon distribution facilities, will be home to approximately 2,000 jobs.
This $7 million project is a collaboration between multiple partners to support good jobs on the West Shore, including NYCEDC, Borough President James Oddo, NYCDOT, the Port Authority, GCT, and Empire State Development. NYCDOT is in the process of converting Gulf Avenue to a two way street and Forest Ave. into a one way street northbound to improve access to the Matrix development. This capital improvement will add additional freight capacity to the intersection by adding two more lanes to northbound Forest Ave and improving off-ramp capacity by 2020.
"In June, my staff and I met with DOT, the Port Authority, National Grid, Matrix Development, and Global Container Terminal to talk about the need to improve local infrastructure to address our growing 'Jobs Coast.' We know we need to work together to ensure safe and easy access to these sites, which will bring thousands of jobs to our borough,” said Borough President James Oddo. “Thank you to the Administration for responding so quickly to our request and working with us to make these crucial infrastructure upgrades, and thank you to all our partners who have worked to ensure that this project is a success."
"We're doubling down on our efforts to create a diverse and resilient economy by investing in more middle class jobs," said Mayor de Blasio. "This early investment in the Freight NYC plan will strengthen the distribution industry on Staten Island and ensure that the West Shore continues to have thousands of quality industrial jobs for years to come."
“The West Shore of Staten Island has a rich industrial history, providing residents with thousands of quality jobs for decades,” said NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett. “This Administration is making big investments in the city’s freight and distribution industries through our Freight NYC plan, and this new funding will further strengthen the already vibrant industrial economy in Staten Island. We’re proud to have worked with Borough President Oddo and our partners across city and state government to advance this important project.”
An improved Forest Ave complements the nearly completed Goethals Bridge Replacement Project, which connects freight and logistics activity on Staten Island to New Jersey’s distribution centers and marine terminals.
The City’s investment will help improve access to the two industrial job hubs by converting Forest Ave into a streamlined one-way street and improving signal configuration between Gulf Avenue and Goethals Road North on Staten Island.
This intersection has long been disruptive for many of the jobs-intensive industrial and distribution uses on the West Shore of Staten Island. GCT is the largest marine terminal in New York State, with over 300 jobs. The Matrix Development site, which will be home to new IKEA and Amazon distribution facilities, will be home to approximately 2,000 jobs.
This $7 million project is a collaboration between multiple partners to support good jobs on the West Shore, including NYCEDC, Borough President James Oddo, NYCDOT, the Port Authority, GCT, and Empire State Development. NYCDOT is in the process of converting Gulf Avenue to a two way street and Forest Ave. into a one way street northbound to improve access to the Matrix development. This capital improvement will add additional freight capacity to the intersection by adding two more lanes to northbound Forest Ave and improving off-ramp capacity by 2020.
"In June, my staff and I met with DOT, the Port Authority, National Grid, Matrix Development, and Global Container Terminal to talk about the need to improve local infrastructure to address our growing 'Jobs Coast.' We know we need to work together to ensure safe and easy access to these sites, which will bring thousands of jobs to our borough,” said Borough President James Oddo. “Thank you to the Administration for responding so quickly to our request and working with us to make these crucial infrastructure upgrades, and thank you to all our partners who have worked to ensure that this project is a success."
"We're doubling down on our efforts to create a diverse and resilient economy by investing in more middle class jobs," said Mayor de Blasio. "This early investment in the Freight NYC plan will strengthen the distribution industry on Staten Island and ensure that the West Shore continues to have thousands of quality industrial jobs for years to come."
“The West Shore of Staten Island has a rich industrial history, providing residents with thousands of quality jobs for decades,” said NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett. “This Administration is making big investments in the city’s freight and distribution industries through our Freight NYC plan, and this new funding will further strengthen the already vibrant industrial economy in Staten Island. We’re proud to have worked with Borough President Oddo and our partners across city and state government to advance this important project.”
An improved Forest Ave complements the nearly completed Goethals Bridge Replacement Project, which connects freight and logistics activity on Staten Island to New Jersey’s distribution centers and marine terminals.
