You have to give it to the Princeton Borough Council. It is persistent, if not repetitive.
The elected body has been fighting the moving of the Dinky station for ages now. And during that time the news has been all bad for the council.
Princeton University plans to move the station 460 feet to the south as part of its proposed $300 million arts and transit project, something most people think would be good both for the school and the Princetons.
The council doesn’t want that to happen, fearing it would make walking from the downtown to the station too difficult and that it’s not worth the tradeoff.
It wants the university to change its plans. The university says the project won’t work without moving the station.
In fact, if it can’t get the necessary zoning changes for its project it will choose another site.
But one thing the school has made clear: the Dinky station will be moved. If not sooner, it will be later.
It owns the land the station is on and has a contract with the state that says it can move the station if it is willing to pay for the move.
The state says the university is correct. Lawyers say the university is correct, including the township’s attorney.
And there’s still a detailed memorandum of understanding between the university, township and borough that took months to negotiate floating somewhere out there unsigned.
Yet, at its meeting on Tuesday night, the Borough Council approved a resolution opposing the moving of the Dinky station.
That’s going to be about as effective as if it approved a resolution opposing the Afghan war.
It also listened to Rutgers Urban Design Studio, which presented ideas for a light rail system that would go from the Dinky station to downtown.
If that sounds familiar, it is. It was the same presentation the Rutgers students gave to Princeton Future earlier this year.
The Dinky and transit issues have been talked about so much in council chambers that one member seemed to be dozing at times, perhaps having heard it all before.
Unfortunately, this will likely not be the last word.
