N.Y.-N.J. port weighs privatizing bridge

N.Y.-N.J. port weighs privatizing bridge    The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is seeking interest from private parties in designing, building, financing and maintaining a replacement for the 82-year old Goethals Bridge between New Jersey and Staten Island.
   The authority said it would retain responsibility for toll operations.
   The agency released a “request for Information” for the replacement span Tuesday, saying it was “seeking the industry’s perspective and feedback on the project.” It estimated the cost of a new bridge at $755 in 2007 dollars in a draft environmental impact statement.
      The port said it would like to select a “best value proposer” for the new bridge by the end of next year and have a new structure in place in 2016.
   The bridge is a major link for traffic between not only Staten Island and New Jersey, but traffic coming from Long Island, which is linked to Staten Island with the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The bridge is also an important link for the container shipping industry as it is adjacent to the New York Container Terminal at Howland Hook, one of the port’s major terminals.