BY KAREN E. BOWES
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN — Commuting to the city could soon take a change for the faster.
According to Township Planner Anthony Mercantante, a county grant will provide a free shuttle service linking the train station to the ferry.
“It’s faster to take the shuttle to the ferry than to stay on the train, even with the PATH reopening.” Mercantante said at last week’s Planning Board meeting.
Meeting weekly to revise the master plan, the board listened as Mercantante said he would like to see the shuttle service become a reality, adding that just one monthly pass could be used on the ferry, train and shuttle.
“You’ve got to make it ultra-convenient and ultra-reliable,” Mercantante said. “That’s what’s planned right now.”
The implementation of the service is contingent on three things, according to Mercantante: changing fuel prices, the redevelopment of lower Manhattan and clean air quality .
“In just a few years, the federal government will be trying to make major changes in the ways people are getting to work,” said the planner, noting that mass transit is one way in which to reduce air pollution.
The need for more affordable housing was also discussed by the board, with Mercantante noting that new developments should provide Middletown with its fair share.
A draft of the plan, including zoning changes pertinent to the town center proposal, will soon be on hand at town hall, according to Jason Greenspan, senior planner for the town.