NJ Transit’s board of directors on Tuesday approved a land swap with Princeton University that was necessary for the school’s arts and transit project to move forward.
By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
NJ Transit’s board of directors on Tuesday approved a land swap with Princeton University that was necessary for the school’s arts and transit project to move forward.
NJ Transit acquired a small parcel needed for realigning the tracks of the Dinky train that connects the campus with Princeton Junction. For its part, the university acquired a .84 acre parcel for the parking lot of the new train station that it will build.
As for the financial terms, NJ Transit will get $185,000 from the university — the amount representing the difference in value between the two parcels.
In addition, the board agreed to relocate a public transportation easement that allows NJ Transit to use the current Dinky station and tracks — located on land that the university bought from NJ Transit in 1984.
The new station will be located 460 feet south of the current one, a point of contention within the community amid concerns that the distance will dissuade some commuters from taking the train.
”(Tuesday’s) action culminates the university’s plan to construct a new, modern, ADA accessible Princeton station, which also will benefit NJ Transit customers and provide for a more efficient bus transfer facility. Clearing this critical path allows construction to proceed on schedule to ensure its opening by the 2014 school year,” said NJ Transit spokeswoman Nancy Snyder in an email Tuesday.
There is a disagreement, however, between the two sides on the financial terms related to the easement. Each had an appraiser come up with a figure representing the difference in the dollar value of the current easement versus the dollar value of the new one. The university’s appraiser arrived at $88,000, while NJ Transit’s at $480,000.
”Our appraiser believes they didn’t do it right,” said university Vice President and Secretary Robert K. Durkee on Wednesday.
The sides have agreed to evenly split the costs of hiring a third appraiser to perform a binding appraisal. They further agreed the school will pay no less than $88,000 but no more than $480,000.
A delegation from Princeton went to NJ Transit’s Newark office for the board of directors’ meeting, held by telephone.
Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller was one of the those attending, having expressed concern earlier in the week about the board meeting by phone.
On Monday, two outside groups, the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers and National Association of Railroad Passengers, formally asked the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to intervene.
In paperwork they filed, the groups want the board, which has regulatory power of railroads, to say that it has jurisdiction over the Dinky and hold up relocating the station.
”We are obviously heartened by the (Surface Transportation Board) filing and applaud these organizations for stepping in to protect the public interest in a valuable mass transportation resource which happens to also be our community’s beloved historic train station,” said Anita Garoniak, president of Save the Dinky, a citizens organization that is suing to block the university’s plans. “Save the Dinky may intervene in support of this action, but we are still deliberating on this and have not yet determined the course we will take.”
NJ Transit had no comment.