For Peterson Road resident Steve Jackson, who would love to be able to take a convenient local train into New York City on the weekends, bringing passenger rail service to Hillsborough would be beneficial to the town.
By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
”They’re further along in the project than I thought,” he said. “I think New Jersey Transit is keeping the project alive by talking about it.”
Unfortunately, Mr. Jackson’s one concern is the main hurdle the project faces — a lack of about $219 million.
During a Nov. 29 presentation at the Hillsborough Municipal Complex, NJ Transit officials showed the only thing missing from their current plan to reinstate passenger rail service on the West Trenton Rail Line is money.
More than 100 people gathered to listen to NJ Transit’s plan for the service, which will require building 12.8-miles of new tracks, building four stations and restoring the old Belle Mead station.
”It was encouraging to see that a lot of people came out,” said Mayor Anthony Ferrera. “I don’t know of anyone who is against the plan.” The project will double the railroad tracks on the West Trenton Rail Line, which discontinued passenger service in 1982 after ridership dropped. The new train stations would be built in Hillsborough, West Trenton in Ewing, I-95 in Hopewell, and in Hopewell Borough.
The project itself will restore the 27-mile line running between the existing Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) West Trenton Station in Ewing and the Raritan Valley Line (RVL) in Bridgewater, all owned by CSX.
The main roadblock, as of now, is the lack of funding from the state government to complete the project itself. According to Jack Kanarek, senior director of project development for NJ Transit, there is no current schedule for when the money will be available because of constraints in the state’s transportation fund, among other factors.
During a presentation at the meeting, Lisa DiTaranti, assistant vice president and deputy director of planning for Systra Consulting of Little Falls, outlined the plans for the project, explaining how many trains would be offered daily. From West Trenton to Newark, she said, five morning trains would run during the peak period of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., with another one running at midday and one in the evening. Each train, she said, would make stops at the different Raritan Valley stations from Bridgewater to Newark.
Ms. DiTaranti said that, in the commute from Newark to West Trenton, there would be one morning outbound train running, and another one midday. In the evening, five trains would make the commute, again with all stops included.
The Hillsborough station, which would be a 53-minute ride from Newark Penn Station, would be built on Amwell Road near the Roycebrook Development. Ms. DiTaranti said it would be located in an area where the New Jersey Department of Transportation has planned to build the Route 206 bypass, and the roads to enter the station will connect into the bypass system to increase accessibility for commuters.
”Hillsborough is a strategic location for a station because of its sizeable community,” Mr. Kanarek said. “There has been lots of interest in getting a station there. And we chose Amwell Road because of the township plans for a Town Center in that area.”
In addition, Ms. DiTaranti presented the results of an environmental consulting assessment, which was used to test how the construction and use of the rail system might affect residents and the environment in general. For the most part, she said, there were no impacts on the environment.
As for some temporary impacts, she cited a need to work closely with the community to ensure that access for emergency vehicles is not interrupted by construction, and that residents are not too inconvenienced. In addition, she said there would be slightly heavier traffic along Amwell Road because of additional cars traveling there to take advantage of the train station.
Many Hillsborough residents attending the public information session expressed their positive feelings toward the entire project, citing it as one way to ease congestion on roads during rush hour and other times of the day.
”The plan is a great thing,” said Wayne Baruch, of Meadowbrook Drive. “It could help get traffic off the roads.”
Linda Andersen, of Merrick Drive, also thought the project would be worthwhile.
”I think it’s an interesting plan,” she said. “We can go to New York or Philadelphia without driving there.”
Laura Felker, of Hillsborough, said her only concern is that the addition of the station will increase the population and traffic on Amwell Road.
”We want this project completed so we don’t have to drive, (but can use the trains),” she said. “My concern is that we will build the transit village before the project is finished and the population will be too dense.”Plans for the transit village, which is planned to be built on Amwell Road surrounding the West Trenton Line, include creating mixed-use retail buildings and residential space for single family, duplex, townhouse and multifamily units. Ken Wedeen, principal planner for the Somerset County Planning Board, said at the meeting that the board recently passed a resolution supporting the restoration of the rail line. According to the resolution, because of the development of Somerset County, traffic has increased exponentially, especially on Route 206, and the restoration of the passenger service could ease this burden.
”We need more mobility for the residents,” Mr. Wedeen said. “We are firm supporters (of reducing congestion in) Central Jersey.”
Since passenger service on the West Trenton Rail Line was discontinued in 1982, it has only been used for freight service. However, NJ Transit has been considering reinstating the passenger trains since 1994.
Mayor Ferrera said his next step is to meet with the mayors of the other towns where stations would be built to get their support in rallying for the funding to complete the project. He said he would like to gain the support and help of all towns involved in the project, to contact the state as a group.
”I think we can succeed together as a team,” he said.
NJ Transit will be accepting comments on the proposed project until Jan. 15. Those with comments can send them to [email protected].
The report about the project and environmental assessment can be read online at njtransit.com, and can also be found in the Hillsborough Public Library in the municipal building.

