JAMESBURG — The Borough Council is once again voicing its opposition to the proposed construction of the Monmouth/Ocean/Middlesex (MOM) rail line, a NJ Transit project that would link up to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor Line.
"The council felt it was time to make sure that local residents know that’s still where we stand," Mayor Anthony LaMantia said about the resolution the council passed at its July 17 meeting. "I know I wouldn’t want a train going by my home."
The borough’s governing body, as well as those in the townships of Monroe and South Brunswick, and the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, have been vocal about their opposition to the MOM line since the $400 million project was first proposed in 1996.
The project would use existing freight rails owned by Conrail to connect commuters in Monmouth and Ocean counties with the Northeast Corridor Line in the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick in Middlesex County. The proposed line would run on an existing track from Lakehurst in Ocean County north through Lakewood, Howell and Freehold before turning west through Manalapan, Englishtown, Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick.
Conrail officials have said that a second 5-mile run of track will need to be constructed west of Jamesburg to the corridor connection because of the use of that section by freight trains.
In response to the resistance from officials in Middlesex County, NJ Transit initially replaced the proposal with a plan to enhance bus service along the Route 9 corridor. However, NJ Transit has since continued to conduct studies to measure the potential environmental impact of an inter-county railroad, leaving Jamesburg officials feeling that the issue remains unresolved.
If approved, the project could have a particular impact on Jamesburg because a train station could possibly be built in the borough. While the existing train tracks already run through Jamesburg, they are presently used solely for hauling freight, which involves slow-moving trains and infrequent trips through town.
In contrast, the MOM railroad would use fast-moving passenger trains that would pass through the town on a frequent basis.
The MOM line proposal has support in Monmouth and Ocean counties, where officials believe rail is the best solution to congestion on major highways such as Route 9.
The Jamesburg council’s newly passed resolution states: "Since the current railroad tracks in the borough of Jamesburg essentially dissect the municipality through the very center of the town, the proposed rail line would have a detrimental effect to the health, safety and welfare of not only Jamesburg residents, but also to those traveling through the borough or within its vicinity."
Copies of the resolution were being forwarded to Gov. James E. McGreevey, state Sen. Peter Inverso (R-14), state Assemblyman Alan Guear (D-14) and Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-14), the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders and NJ Transit.