CNB Archives MAY 2009Light Rail Extension from Camden To Glassboro Moves Ahead; Will Stop in Gloucester City
Light Rail Extension from Camden To Glassboro Moves Ahead; Will Stop in Gloucester City
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Governor Corzine supports multimodal regional initiative to boost mobility and economic development
Woodbury, NJ – The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) today presented its recommendations for the extension of southern New Jersey light rail from Camden City to Glassboro. DRPA conducted an extensive transit planning study that focused on identifying transportation needs and solutions for southern New Jersey. The agency recommended a multimodal approach to meet the transportation needs of New Jersey’s residents.
At a gathering of business and community leaders today, Governor Jon S. Corzine endorsed the extension of the light rail system from Camden City to Glassboro, as recommended by the DRPA.
The line will run from the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden to Woodbury after completion of Phase 1 and will cost $600 million just to get started.
DRPA Executive John Mattheusen said work could start on the rail line as early as five years from now. The line is expected to take anywhere from six to eight years to complete.
Plans call for the train to stop in Gloucester City, in Westville at Crown Point Road and Red Bank Avenue and terminate at Cooper Street in Woodbury, but only through the first phase.
Upon completion of the entire project, the rail will run from Camden through Woodbury and all the way to Glassboro, with stops in Sewell and Pitman as well.
The endorsement comes at the end of a two-year alternatives analysis and planning study undertaken by DRPA to identify transportation needs and solutions for Southern New Jersey. The study concluded that expanding transit choices would improve accessibility to jobs and employment centers, reduce roadway congestion, better utilize existing highway medians/shoulders and railroad rights of way, and enhance connectivity to recreational areas.
“Expanding the light rail to serve even more South Jersey communities and commuters will help lessen highway congestion, create much-needed new jobs and infrastructure improvements and spark crucial economic growth and centralized development,” said Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts (D-Camden). “This plan is also forward-thinking, laying the groundwork for more improvements that have potential to benefit the region for years to come. I look forward to seeing the economic opportunities this plan will create.”
“These kinds of infrastructure expansion projects not only serve as an economic magnet for the region to attract business, they create construction-related jobs as well as long term career opportunities for residents in our region,” said State Senator Stephen M. Sweeney (D- Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem).
“This project will equate to one of the largest transportation improvements this area has seen in years and is great news for South Jersey,” said Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden). “This expansion will help reduce congestion on our highways and roads and enhance mass transit options for our commuters, but it will do much more than that. It will create jobs and spark economic growth and sensible development centered around transit hubs. The benefits will spread far and wide and position South Jersey’s economic to thrive.”
The DRPA also recommended that a study in partnership with NJ TRANSIT be conducted to include Express Bus-type service utilizing routes 42 and 55, with dedicated lanes and park-and-ride lots for service from southern New Jersey to Walter Rand Transportation Center and Downtown Philadelphia. In addition, NJ TRANSIT and the DRPA will review options to improve the Atlantic City Rail Line with the goal of improving the connection between southern New Jersey communities, Atlantic City and Philadelphia; and to increase access to Atlantic City Airport.
According to DRPA CEO and PATCO President, John J. Matheussen, “I am personally proud of what all of us working together have accomplished, where we are today and what our actions here today will mean for South Jersey. There can be no finer example of a region coming together to address its transportation, environmental, and economic issues and developing a solution that will make a difference. South Jersey, IT’S OUR TURN!”
“Having a rail system that is situated so that a large number of residents can walk to the train rather than take a car is a winning situation for us and all of the surrounding municipalities with downtown businesses that are struggling,” said Woodbury Mayor Rob Curtis.
The DRPA will initiate the next round of public outreach on the light rail extension and the recommended options and will continue the next phases of the planning process.
A rapid transit line will also be planned to parallel Route 42 in Williamstown with a spur on Route 55 to Route 47, the Delsea Drive. This is planned to be a bus line and will travel from Williamstown Rd. into Philadelphia.
The Delaware River Port Authority is a regional transportation agency. DRPA owns and operates the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross Bridges, PATCO and the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal. The DRPA also owns the RiverLink Ferry.
Comments
Will the train run on the existing tracks thru Gloucester City?
Will new tracks be laid beside the existing tracks as there were once before?
Where will Gloucester City's station be located?
With all of the things needed in all of these communities ie Police and Fire. Do we have the money to spend on a rail line that I don't think will take people driveing now out of their cars.
Most rail lines in the US are operating at a loss already so this will more than likely just pile on additional debt and tax burden.
Patco has been fairly successful because it goes over to Philadelphia where it cost to travel the bridge and pay for parking not to mention the traffic agrevation.
Please can someone stop the ridiculous spending and get some factories working again?
John Clemency
Gloucester City
I am upset at the thought of some people losing their homes because of this. It will happen, because where do you think all these riders will park their cars? I think it's a bad idea and another waste of NJ taxpayers' money.
It's interesting to note that there has not been a town meeting to discuss and protest the rail line under the current administration. We were protesting this 10 years ago under Bobby Gorman and at least the public got out and protested...now we're reduced to seeing in on the news. That's progress.
Here comes camden and all its crime! Let's welcome it with open arms.
There was a public meeting about a year and a half ago at MEC school. I attended that meeting and also a meeting thru the business association last month. The line will run along side of the existing tracks. the station will not be at the end of town, instead it will be located somewhere between Market and Monmouth. Their will be plenty of parking. The DRPA is working with the city to make this painless. Call the Assemblyman's office with questions, he is very approachable. Call the DRPA with questions, and call the city and ask questions. You will get straight answers and not have to speculate what might happen. I did.
It seems like most of the comments here are negative, which I don't understand. This is a great thing for our town, and will probably result eventually in much higher property values. I work in Philly and I would love to walk over to Cumberland or Monmouth and take the train instead of getting in the car and driving over to ferry ave.
Why do people think that public transit brings the crime out from camden?? If that is the case then why has that not happened to collingswood, westmont, haddonfield, etc?? And dont tell me lindenwold because the reason lindenwold has high crime is the high density of low income housing, not because of patco.
I agree with gloucesterguy's comment. The presence of a commuter rail isn't an automatic link to increased crime activity. Haddonfield and Collingswood are perfect examples. I think it should be viewed as a positive development that will attract new business, increase property values, and reduce traffic, among other pros. That's my opinion anyway. If you're going to argue against it, at least think of something better than "Here comes Camden and all its crime..." Please.
Why are you so against this. I'm in Vineland and wishing it went to us. It will boost your downtown and will make trips to Philly a LOT easier. It might even REDUCE crime, it WILL NOT INCREASE CRIME. Many studies have been performed, and there is no link between crime and rail lines. Look at the rail lines in North Jersey, most of them go through Newark, and then maybe 3 stops later, go through town filled with Millionaires.
Will there be a station at Morgan Street in Camden to service the Methadone Clinic?
Or will they get off in Gloucester and walk to the clinic?