Urges $4 million to reactivate West Trenton line
By:Eric Schwarz
A congressional committee has approved spending $4 million to help restore service to the 21.6-mile West Trenton rail line, connecting Mercer and Somerset County riders with Newark and New York.
Startup costs to revive the commuter line, which discontinued service in 1982, have been estimated at $30 million.
The Transportation Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee Monday voted to include the additional $4 million for the project being undertaken by NJ Transit.
The additional money more than doubles the previous federal appropriation for the project.
Janet Thompson, spokeswoman for Rep. Bob Franks (R-7), said the Appropriations Committee is likely to vote on the funding within the next month, with a House of Representatives vote likely by the end of June. Both the Senate and House must approve the appropriation before it goes to the White House for signature.
Rep. Franks has been championing the West Trenton line for seven years. Congress previously has appropriated $2.5 million for the line. He called for the additional $4 million in March.
The additional money will be used for design and engineering work, as well as for property acquisition, the final phase before construction can begin.
The line would run from West Trenton in Ewing Township to a station in Hillsborough in an area bounded by Sunnymead and Hamilton roads and the tracks. The station would have 350 parking spaces.
The land for the proposed station and parking lot is owned by Glen-Gery Corp., a quarry which mines shale.
Sarah Coburn, a company representative for Glen-Gery in Wyomissing, Pa., on Wednesday said there had been no negotiations regarding the land.
“It must be in the very early stages if there is something going on,” she said.
Hillsborough plant manager Tom Tehsildar could not be reached for comment.
NJ Transit expects about a third of the 1,240 projected riders, 325, would ride the train to and from the Hillsborough stop.
Restoring service would ease congestion on some of Central Jersey’s highways, including routes 206, 1 and 31.
Commuter service probably will not resume for several years.
Do you support establishing a station in Hillsborough for the West Trenton rail line? Register your opinion at www.packetonline.com/forums/hb.html