Charles W. Kim

By: centraljersey.com
Commuters may have an alternative way to get to work in a couple of years if NJ Transit moves forward with a plan to expand bus service and add two park-and-ride sites along Route 1.
NJ Transit officials presented a plan to the Township Council on Tuesday night that could bring bus service to the Route 1 corridor and possibly build two park-and-ride locations at Beekman Road to the north and Independence Way to the south. "I like this idea," Mayor Frank Gambatese said following the presentation at the work session meeting. "We are serious about this project."
Currently, bus service is limited to Route 27 for service between Princeton and New York with Suburban Transit, a private operator, according to NJ Transit.
Public Affairs Coordinator Ron Schmalz said the township received a $4 million grant several years ago to study public transportation in the community along with NJ Transit, which administrates the funds for the study and planning.
As a result, NJ Transit developed a plan to expand commuter bus service to the Route 1 corridor by adding six new routes, as funding allows, including Route 653, which would operate on the corridor from Princessville in Mercer County, through Plainsboro, South Brunswick, North Brunswick and into New Brunswick, according to the presentation.
NJ Transit engineer Mike Viscardi said the agency is seeking permission from the federal government and the state Department of Transportation to proceed with its plan to expand the service into the township.
According to Mr. Viscardi, existing service south of the township could easily be expanded north to accommodate the proposed facilities on Beekman Road and Independence Way.
Mr. Viscardi said money is "in place" for the first site on Beekman Road, which would place the park and ride across the street from the entrance to Beechwoods Park. The facility would have about 85 parking spaces and could even use the existing park parking lot as well.
"It is very appealing. No one ever uses that park (during the day)," Councilman Joe Camorata said. "There are never more than a car or two (in the lot)."
Mr. Viscardi said the second site on Independence Way is owned by the DOT, and approvals need to be sought for NJ Transit to construct a facility at that location on the southbound side of Route 1.
NJ Transit spokesman Tom Clark said about 52 percent of the parking spots at the Princeton Junction rail station are being used by South Brunswick residents, and the proposed park and ride at Independence Way could help those commuters and free up those spaces in Princeton Junction.
The Independence Way location would have between 60 and 85 spaces, according to Mr. Viscardi.
Once completed, both sites would be owned by the township and would not cost the township anything to build, Manager Matt Watkins said.
Mr. Watkins said it likely would take about two years for the sites to be operational.
NJ Transit is the largest statewide public transportation carrier, operating more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus lines, three light rail and 12 rail lines, according to the agency.