By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
The proposed Park and Ride for the township will be located at the intersection of Route 1 and Independence Way only.
The project, funded through a federal government grant with New Jersey Transit, initially was going to be built either near the intersection of Beekman Road and Route 1 or the intersection of Route 1 and Independence Way.
Township Council members, however, voted unanimously to build the facility only at the intersection of Route 1 and Independence Way, according to the resolution passed unanimously by the panel May 24.
It will be located only at the Independence Way and Route 1 intersection because residents of Beekman Road came before the council and asked not to have the proposed bus stop on that road, according to township spokesman Ron Schmalz.
During an earlier meeting, resident Susan Nissenblatt went before the council and said she was against building the facility on Beekman Road.
”Someone will get killed,” Ms. Nissenblatt said.
Councilman Joseph Camorata said during an earlier meeting that he wanted all the money to go into the proposed Independence Way site.
The residents said the Park and Ride should not be on Beekman Road because of traffic problems there, Mr. Schmalz said.
Traffic on Beekman Road and Route 27 is “a nightmare,” Mr. Schmalz said.
The project at the Independence Way and Route 1 intersection is planned to be double its original size, according to Mr. Schmalz.
The original design for the facility on Independence Way was planned to be 80 to 90 parking spots, eventually expanding to 150 to 160 parking spots, Mr. Schmalz said.
The Park and Ride will have NJ Transit buses to and from Trenton with stops in Princeton Junction, Mr. Schmalz said.
There also may be two Suburban Transit buses that will go into Manhattan, he said.
”(The township will) need to work that out with Suburban yet,” Mr. Schmalz said.
Suburban Transit was willing to run an existing New York service on Route 27 down Beekman Road. The township just has to find out if the company is interested in running from Independence Way, Mr. Schmalz said.
Officials are hoping to finish building the facility within the year with the expansion coming over the next few years, Mr. Schmalz said.

