“Instead of driving, walk your kids to school; take a train or bus; ride a bike; bring a brown-bag lunch; work from home; [or] carpool or vanpool,” the agency suggests.

“[The day] is a chance to spread the word about the impact that cars can have on our environment,” the TMA says, and it “also provides a great opportunity to explore other options by using alternate modes of transportation.”

To get residents to pledge to go car free, Hudson TMA will raffle off four free tickets to Liberty Science Center, but you have to register via its website to be eligible.

- Murder Suspect Arrested: A 19-year-old Jersey City man on the run since July when he allegedly killed a man with three gunshots to the back was arrested yesterday in a Grant Avenue building during an early morning raid by city, county and federal law enforcement.

- Any Day Parade: The much-loved and now defunct Jersey City band played a special semi-private reunion gig Friday night at 58 Gallery; Dislocations was there.

- Elwell Trial: Lawyers for former Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, who was convicted by a jury in July on a bribery charge, argued in federal court in Newark yesterday that he should be acquitted of that charge or be afforded a new trial because of prosecutorial misconduct and other issues.

- Pit Bull Shooting: The Jersey City man whose dog was shot dead by police when it allegedly lunged at an officer Sunday in the Heights was ordered held without bail when he made his first appearance on the charges yesterday.

Today’s Best Bets:

- There’s a free screening of the documentary Talking Through Walls at St. Peter’s College (6 pm); the Just Add Laughs comedy open mic night at Made with Love (7 pm); and live music from Jim Testa and the Milwaukees’ Dylan Clark at Lucky 7′s (8 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Disability Pensions: Some officials say that a wave of disability pensions for police and firefighters has swelled since the state Supreme Court loosened standards for the cases in 2007 and 2008 decisions. If nothing is done to stem the tide, they could destabilize the pensions for police and firefighters despite recent reforms.

- Environment: A state Senate panel yesterday took a step toward blocking the Christie administration’s controversial plan to allow businesses, towns and residents to bypass state environmental regulations.

- Teacher Tenure: The Democrats’ leading bill to change teacher tenure in New Jersey is unlikely to get another public viewing until after the election, but its chief sponsor has begun a series of private meetings to fine-tune and amend the controversial measure.

- Christie’s Ethics Bills: Gov. Christie is urging the Democratic-controlled Legislature to act on ethics legislation he has proposed last September.

- School Lunch Scandal in Elizabeth: The president of the Elizabeth Board of Education and the spouses of two other school officials were arrested yesterday on charges of cheating the federal school lunch program to get free or reduced-cost meals for their children — in one case for six years.

- Sunshine Law: The Senate is pushing a revamped bill to overhaul the state Sunshine Law, key lawmakers say.

- Prostitution: A Senate panel has approved a bill that would automatically spare minors from criminal prosecution if they’re caught engaging in prostitution.

Drivers heading east from the area will now take a new exit ramp and northbound viaduct (seen at right before opening) that connects to Tonnelle Circle and Route 139 east instead.

The change is part of the larger $250 million project to reconfigure the traffic patterns in the area, which is expected to be completed by spring 2013.

For more on the project, click here. For real-time traffic updates, click here.

Photo: NJ Department of Transportation

The original Park(ing) Day in San Francisco. Photo: Rebar/Andrea Scher

The international alternative-transportation event known as Park(ing) Day is once again upon us, and the Hudson Transportation Management Association (TMA) is celebrating the event in the Newport area for the second year in a row.

On Friday, the organization will turn several parking spaces into temporary park spaces, complete with a free performance of “Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Spot” by NJCU’s Actors Shakespeare Company.

“Join people around the world today in re-imagining the possibilities of our urban landscape,” the event flier reads.

“Any effort to get people to consider using their cars less — reducing vehicle miles traveled — is within the scope of our work program,” Hudson TMA director Jay DiDomenico told us last year. “It’s all about congestion, our environment and health. We also support more open space, which is a priority for Hudson County.”

Friday’s Jersey City event is scheduled from 11:30 to 2 pm at Town Square Place (aka Pavonia Avenue) and Washington Boulevard, right by the Newport PATH station.

Meanwhile, Hoboken — which has received national attention for its progressive transportation policies as of late — will be taking part in Park(ing) Day as well. The city is officially doing its own spot on the corner of Newark and Washington Streets in front of the CVS, but it is also encouraging residents to take the event into their own hands.

“The City Council recently passed a resolution inviting/allowing/encouraging members of the public to set up their own Park(ing) Day events,” city spokesman Juan Melli says in an email. “They just need to feed the parking meter, or if it’s not at a metered space, demonstrate that they have a valid parking permit to use that space.”

- Webb-Washington Indicted: Jersey City housing activist and former City Council candidate LaVern Webb-Washington was indicted yesterday for defrauding her campaign fund in connection with money provided to her by government cooperating witness Solomon Dwek in exchange for her future official assistance.

- Gatti Murdered? Private investigators and a panel of experts didn’t pull punches yesterday in presenting the results of a 10-month probe into the death of boxing champ Arturo Gatti that they say prove the fighter was murdered.

- Empty Sky Memorial: There was a media tour yesterday of the 9/11 memorial in Liberty State Park, which will be officially dedicated Saturday.

- Marc Anthony at Newport: Grammy-winner Marc Anthony launched his clothing line yesterday morning at Kohl’s department store inside Newport Centre Mall in Jersey City.

- Water Main Break: Some 50 customers in Jersey City lost water service yesterday when a 12-inch water main broke on Communipaw Avenue.

Today’s Best Bets:

- There are three worthy art openings tonight: NYC-JC Suites hosts the opening reception for The BIG BIG BIG Show, by Norwegian artist Unni Askeland (6 pm); Kirland Bray’s solo show of new paintings, Gatherings, launches at 58 Gallery (7 pm); and Made with Love hosts the opening of Most of Who We Are, a new solo show by Wendy Weber Eaton, with Glen Coleman playing guitar during the reception (7 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Christie, Oliver & the Pension/Benefits Deal: Newly leaked audio reveals that Gov. Christie says he agreed to help Assembly speaker Sheila Oliver remain in power for help passing public employee benefits overhaul. But Oliver says Christie is “mentally deranged” and accused him of telling a “blatant lie” about her at the closed-door Colorado retreat organized by wealthy conservative businessmen.

- Education: The U. S. Department of Education has announced a third round of “Race to the Top” grants on Wednesday for previous finalists, including New Jersey. State education officials say they plan on applying again.

- Christie, the Koch Brothers & Environmental Initiatives: Months before Gov. Christie announced the state was withdrawing from a pact aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions among 10 Northeastern states, he met with one of the billionaire oil industry brothers who have fought to end regional greenhouse gas initiatives. Now environmentalists and liberals are holding up that meeting and a closed-door seminar in June hosted by brothers David and Charles Koch, in which Christie was the keynote speaker, as evidence of their claims that Christie is influenced by big oil.

- Transportation: The New Jersey Turnpike Authority voted yesterday to redirect $1.25 billion from the canceled New Jersey-New York commuter rail tunnel to local road and bridge projects over the next five years.

- Smuggled Smokes: About 40 percent of all cigarettes smoked in New Jersey are smuggled into the state illegally — the highest percentage of any state in the nation — resulting in a loss of more than $500 million in uncollected tax revenue each year, according to a report obtained by The Star-Ledger.

- Irene’s Cost to the Turnpike Authority: Tropical Storm Irene has so far cost the New Jersey Turnpike Authority at least $6.3 million in labor, lost revenue, and other expenses.

- Gas Pipelines: The Christie administration’s aggressive effort to expand the state’s system of natural gas pipelines is posing uncomfortable policy decisions for the agencies overseeing that effort.

- Carl Lewis: District Court Judge Noel Hillman has ruled that 8th District Senate candidate Carl Lewis is ineligible to appear on the November ballot.

- Christie’s National Profile: Gov. Christie has been elected vice chairman of the Republican Governors Association, a group that raises money to support GOP candidates in Statehouse around the country.

- Candidate Filing Deadline Mixup: Candidates hoping to run this November for two vacant At-Large seats on the City Council were scrambling yesterday after they learned the deadline to submit petitions was yesterday and not next week as they had originally been told.

- Toll Hikes to Hit Buses as Well: Bus companies are facing higher costs when new tolls take effect at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Hudson River crossings on September 18.

- Living Wage Bill: Hudson County’s freeholders intend to update the county’s living-wage ordinance to make it apply to part-time workers who work for vendors doing business with the county.

- Motorcyclist Dies in Crash: A 41-year-old Roselle man was killed just before midnight Monday when he crashed his motorcycle into a divider on Tonnelle Avenue near Charlotte Circle in Jersey City and was thrown 103 feet.

- Former County Worker Pleads Guilty to Extortion: A Bayonne man who worked as a Hudson County welfare administrator pleaded guilty to attempted extortion in federal court yesterday after he admitted demanding cash from welfare recipients in exchange for not cutting off their benefits.

- Shooting: An 18-year-old Jersey City man was shot in the leg in a ride-by shooting on Grant Avenue early yesterday morning.

Today’s Best Bets:

- The Iron Monkey kicks off a three-day beer event featuring two west coast breweries — Stone and Rogue, while the Tempest Jam Session is at the Lamp Post.

In Statewide News:

- Congressional Redistricting: New Jersey’s population did not grow fast enough in proportion to states in the South and West, according to the latest Census, so the state is losing one of its 13 seats in the House of Representatives. The process of redrawing the districts began yesterday with a short meeting. MORE from NJ Spotlight and Politicker.

- FEMA Claims: More than 15,000 New Jersey residents have already filed claims with the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking help paying for damage from Hurricane Irene.

- Shellfish Beds Reopened: State environmental officials Tuesday reopened most of the shellfish beds along the New Jersey coast line after tests showed no health risk in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

- State Legislative Elections: Labor Day weekend, the unofficial opening of campaign season, has come and gone. This year, the main event of the November elections is the Legislature, where all 120 seats are up for grabs. While voter turnout is expected to be low, much may be at stake.

- Transportation Projects: More than 1,900 highway and transit projects in New Jersey could be stopped and nearly 23,000 people put out of work if Congress does not approve an extension of the federal transportation funding system this month, the White House said Tuesday.

The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will be operating on a weekend schedule, and bus service will be on a “modified weekday schedule” with “fewer trips operating during peak periods on some routes.” NJ Transit warns that some bus routes may be subject to delays, detours or cancellations due to local flooding.

The outlook for the rails looks worse.

“Rail service will be extremely limited,” NJ Transit warns. “Customers are advised that they may have to seek alternate transportation on many lines because of significant storm damage.”

Earlier this afternoon, the Port Authority announced that full PATH service would resume at 4 am tomorrow.

You can check www.njtransit.com for the latest real-time schedule updates tomorrow.