Senate OKs Bi-State Unit On Transport

Washington – The Senate gave its unanimous approval yesterday to an agency formed by New York and New Jersey to deal with commuting problems in both states. One long-range effect of the action will be to provide new cars for the Long Island Rail Road.

The bill, giving congressional approval to a bi-state compact establishing a New York-New Jersey Transportation Agency, now goes back to the House – which passes it earlier in the session – for approval of two amendments added by the Senate.

The transit bill is part of a package which includes a plan under which the bistate Port of New York Authority would purchase new commuter cars and lease them to the LIRR and other lines. Both the New York and New Jersey legislatures have approves the port authority plan, but New Jersey made its approval contingent on a congressional okay for the transportation agency. The port authority would lease between 130 and 160 commuter cars to the LIRR.

The transportation agency would be directed to find solutions to problems of commuting across the Hudson River and to recommend ways to improve transportation services within New York State. The agency would have two members, one from each state. The would be appointed by the states’ governors, who would hold a veto power over agency actions.

One of the Senate’s amendments requires that a long-range plan to be developed by the proposed agency have the approval of Congress as well as the state legislatures. The second amendment requires congressional approval of any change made in the bi-state compact by the state legislatures.