Princeton residents received good news this week, learning they will have a way to get to the hospital in Plainsboro once NJ Transit ends the bus route that serves the hospital on Sept. 1.
Princeton University has agreed to add a stop on its TigerTransit bus route that serves Princeton HealthCare System’s complex in Plainsboro. Riders will be able to get on board at Palmer Square and be delivered, for free, to the hospital.
But those who cannot walk to Palmer Square to get on the bus will be able to call a special taxi service and be picked up at home. This service will be provided by Princeton HealthCare System as part of its original commitment to the Princeton community when it decided to move out of Princeton and build its state of the art facilities in Plainsboro.
To be eligible for the free taxi service residents must live within a half-mile radius of the former medical center that was located on Witherspoon Street.
Having a way to get to and from the new hospital is critical for those who do not drive and cannot afford to pay for a taxi.
What’s also encouraging is the cooperation between the municipality, Princeton University and Princeton HealthCare System that put together the solution. Mayor Liz Lempert and her administration, university and hospital administrators deserve credit for finding an answer when the state’s mass transit system pulled out.
We hope that Princeton residents will take advantage of the new transportation options and that the cooperation shown between town, gown and scrubs will set a standard for solving more community issues.
