Township meets with NJ Transit to discuss spending $4 million on buses and $6.8 million to widen Route 1.
By: Joseph Harvie
The township has begun the planning phase of a bus system that will run throughout the township.
It has been meeting with NJ Transit, discussing the $4 million in federal transportation money to be used to buy buses, and $6.8 million to widen the seven-mile stretch of Route 1 in South Brunswick from four to six lanes.
The money allocated for the bus system will be used to purchase new shuttle buses and global positioning systems, said Ron Schmalz, township public affairs coordinator. The GPS would be used to tell residents where the shuttle buses were on their routes, he said.
The money was allocated in a $268.4 billion federal transportation bill to the state Department of Transportation.
Mr. Schmalz said no work has started on the widening project.
In January 2005, Township Manager Matt Watkins unveiled plans for the bus system and widening projects. At the time, he said the bus system would run from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., taking residents to and from existing and yet-to-be-built park-and-rides and residential areas.
The township hired Washington lobbying firm Cavarocchi, Ruscio, Dennis Associates LLC, for $120,000 to get the federal money needed for both projects.
On Sept. 27 the Township Council authorized a contract with the Trenton based lobbying firm Princeton Public Affairs Group Inc. for $4,000 a month, with a maximum pay out of $13,000, to the ensure the $6.8 million authorized by the federal government for Route 1, gets used for the widening, Mr. Schmalz said.