–By Steven Rodas–

Most NJCU students find the Bridgegate scandal an overly reported subject, but believe Gov. Chris Christie’s reputation has declined because of it.

“I feel Christie is a large threat in a major league democratic state. The scandal has received a lot of coverage and I think the media is trying to smear Christie’s credibility if he gears to run for president in 2016,” said 22-year-old finance major Shawn McGrath.

Other students agree with McGrath.

“I find the [Bridgegate] scandal an annoying topic. For me, the attention it has gotten could’ve been put towards other things,” said international business major Daisy Abula, 21, from Jersey City. “[However,] I do think its hurting Christie’s presidential chances if he runs.”

Conversely, some students are unfamiliar with the scandal.

“I honestly don’t know much of anything when it comes to Bridgegate,” said 19-year-old Jackson Bravo from North Bergen.

Official reports said Bridget Anne Kelly, the former deputy chief of staff for Christie, worked along with members of Port Authority to close two of three lanes connecting Fort Lee, NJ to the George Washington Bridge (GWB).

The GWB is reported to have the most traffic in the world according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. With two of three access lanes closed, angry commuters told CNN that traffic was at a standstill as people attempted to go to work and bring their kids to school.

Additional reports from the Star-Ledger indicate that paramedics were delayed in attending to four medical situations and a 91-year-old woman died while paramedics were fighting traffic caused by the lane closures. It took paramedics almost five more minutes than normal to reach the woman who was involved in a car accident. She later died in the hospital of cardiac arrest.

Some students believe the amount of coverage attained by Christie since the scandal including related reports like Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s allegations that Christie withheld Sandy relief funds, just work to bombard their already busy lives.

“Everything in the news is very negative and it adds stress to my life I don’t need,” said Jackson. “I just choose not to pay attention.

Closer to home

Some NJCU students are already gearing up for the upcoming repairs to the Pulaski Skyway slated to begin this spring.

According to the Jersey City Independent, an exact date has not been determined for the replacement of the current deck, repair and repainting of the steel structure, lighting improvement and rehabilitation of the Kearny, Broadway, and Newark on-off ramps, but the project is planned to be completed in 2020.

Drivers will no longer have access to the two lanes that flow towards Jersey City for the first two years of the billion dollar Skyway replacement project. The southbound lanes, leaving Jersey City, will remain open according to officials of The Department of Transportation.

DOT told NJ. com they feel closing the Skyway this year would save time and money in the long run.

State officials have been urging drivers to familiarize themselves with alternate routes. The closure will divert up to 40,000 daily trips. Consequently New Jersey Transit plans to add seating to the Raritan Valley Line operating to and from Newark Penn Station.

Other options for drivers include taking the NJ Turnpike Eastern Spur and I-78 where an eastbound shoulder converts into a third travel lane during rush hour. The 1&9 Truck route is also being fitted with adaptive traffic signal control technology for those heading towards Jersey City.

“This is going to be a modern, safe and updated structure,” said DOT Assistant Commissioner Richard Hammer during a press conference in Newark early this year.

DOT scheduled the closure post-Super Bowl in order to avoid further traffic delays and noted that the Pulaski opened in 1932 and is in need of extensive repairs. The scheduled restoration will extend the life of the bridge by 75 years.