Editorial: Some questions for the township to consider on proposed new train station.
South Brunswick is no closer to having its own train station than it was a year ago.
But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
While commuters in town obviously would benefit from a station, there is no guarantee that a station would be a boon to everyone in town.
We suggest that the township move slowly on this issue and answer these questions before agreeing to anything:
Where might a station be located? The most often discussed location is the old Metroplex site, along the Northeast Corridor tracks between Deans Lane and Sand Hills Road, but other sites might be possible and may even offer better regional access.
Who will use it and what will that mean for local traffic? And could neighboring communities be encouraged or even required to establish shuttle bus service from satellite park-and-ride facilities to reduce car traffic? A South Brunswick station would draw from not only South Brunswick, but from Monroe, Cranbury, Plainsboro, North Brunswick and Franklin, placing added stress on roads like Schalks Crossing and Sand Hills.
What road improvements will be necessary? What will they cost and who will pay for them? And who will pay for a station? And what kind of impact would a station have on township services, especially police and emergency services? What kinds of parking revenues might the township generate from a station and would that offset new costs?
We are not opposed to a station, nor are we ready to endorse one. We just want the township to be as judicious as it can be in considering whether one should be built in South Brunswick.