By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Victoria Hurley-SchubertStaff Writer
With Princeton University officials terminating the proposed Arts and Transit neighborhood, the future of train service in Princeton remains uncertain.
Ridership is key for service levels. Daily, 1,060 passengers board the Dinky at the Princeton Borough station one way each day, said Dan Stessel, NJ Transit spokesperson.
Even with Gov. Chris Christie’s support, the governing bodies of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township were reluctant to indicate any support for the project, which would move the Dinky 460 feet south from its current location. Gov. Christie’s support did have an impact on NJ Transit’s decisions regarding the Dinky in the last budget cycle.
”The prospect of the university’s Arts and Transit project informed and influenced NJT planning decisions with respect to Dinky service in the future,” said Kevin Roberts in a statement from the governor’s office when asked about the issue. “Naturally, the absence of the project would be considered in those decisions as well.”
NJ Transit says service will continue and that service decisions are based on ridership numbers.
”As far as we’re concerned, it’s status quo and we continue to operate the Dinky and the usual caveat applies. We review ridership throughout the year and make schedule changes based on ridership and NJ Transit will continue to operate it,” Mr. Stessel said.
”I haven’t heard of any plans to curtail Dinky service in any significant way,” said Mr. Stessel.
The transit unions are in favor of the project, but are worried about the ridership that drives service levels. Dan O’Connell, New Jersey state legislative director of the United Transportation Union, spoke in favor of the project at Monday night’s joint meeting.
”It’s pretty simple. Neither the state nor NJT is in a financial position to do anything and have said so,” he said in a statement after the meeting upon learning the project has been cancelled. “The service has experienced cutbacks and without an increase in riders there is no justification for NJT to add/restore service on the Dinky. With all due respect to the governing bodies and advocates, the Princeton branch will languish and if ridership drops further we have concerns about the service altogether.”

