It's Our City is a project that uses TV, Radio and Web
to promote civic engagement in the Philadelphia region.Plan for Camden to Glassboro Train Service Wins Gov's Approval
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 1:34 pm - by Matt Campbell. Filed under: Transportation.
Simulated image of PATCO train travelling on Conrail tracks / Source DRPA
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine says he will support extending PATCO train service from Camden to Glassboro on existing Conrail right-of-ways. The endorsement comes at the end of a two-year alternatives analysis and planning study undertaken by The Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania (DRPA) to identify transportation needs and solutions for Southern New Jersey.
NOT A DONE DEAL BUT…
This is not the first effort to provide commuter rail service deeper into South Jersey. In 1996, opponents successfully blocked a similar plan. But the Governor and other local politicians say things look better this time around for actually moving forward. N.J. State Senator Stephen Sweeney is quoted in The Gloucester County Times saying the support is there. “This freeholder board in Gloucester County supports this project and will not walk away from it.” and Governor Corzine said money is in place.
“This is not going to be decades,” Corzine said. “This is going to be plans and we’re going to get to contracting and moving forward. The money is set aside, we need to make sure this gets going.”
WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE
The yellow line shows the planned route for light rail expansion (click image for 8''x10'' version)
If the project gets built, planners say it the first phase between Camden and Woodbury could be operational in five years. The second half from Woodbury to Glassboro would take an additional five years or more to complete.
If you’re a South Jersey resident you’ve experienced the Pros and Cons of having a PATCO station nearby. This will be great for folks who can’t stand the gridlock on the Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman Bridges. There’s nothing worse than having to repeatedly endure the bottleneck traffic approaching the bridge toll booths. But it won’t be so nice, if you end up living next to some gigantic parking lot like the one at Woodcrest Station.
VOICE YOUR OPINION
In Nov and December, PATCO, which is a division of the DRPA, held a series of public hearings on the plan. Here is a helpful document that was presented during those meetings.
Several more public hearings are planned for next month to gain community input on the plan. For information on location and times, contact PATCO directly.
Also, for our South Jersey readers, What do you think? Are you someone who is looking forward to having another option to get into Philadelphia? How bad are you commutes coming in from Woodbury, Mantua, West Deptford, Pitman, Glassboro? Do you think light rail will fuel new regional traffic choke points? -+
Do you think commuter rail encourages suburban sprawl
Useful links:
See the REALLY BIG STUDY that was done on transportation needs in S.J.
See the project’s time schedule for the planning phase.
You can submit comments about the lightrail plan online directly to PATCO.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
If that map’s right, they’re going to build this as a diesel-powered light rail system? Sure, full integration with PATCO (as in the new trains running over the bridge and into the Locust St tunnel) might be a little difficult, but I can’t believe that they wouldn’t electrify it. They should be aiming for a mini-version of BART here, not a pieced-together group of different trains for South Jersey.
May 13th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
TLP: I believe the issue with choosing diesel vs electric might be as simple as some of rail line will be already existing freight rails which are owned and still utilized by what is left of Conrail. Some of the areas which that path travels through are pretty tight and close to residential housing.
May 13th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I’ve been looking through the DRPA doc presented in the Nov/Dec public hearings and here are some quick hits from it. The Plan under serious consideration is a scenario listed as Alternative NJ-3. The Camden to Glassboro link would be 23 miles with a trip lasting just under45 minutes. Service every 8 mins during peak times.
here’s a link to the doc
http://www.patconjexpansion.com/PDFS/SJ_Phila_outreach_11-29-07.pdf
May 14th, 2009 at 6:36 am
TLP,
You are correct stating that would have been possible to build an electric light rail system that could access Philadelphia via the existing PATCO route. My website provides possible models for such a system.
The main consideration may have been cost. A diesel light rail system is only one part of the project. Other components include a RT 42 / RT 55 busway, and enhancements to the Atlantic City Rail Line. Another project, a rail line between Hawthorne & Hackensack in North Jersey, was announced yesterday (05/13).
I believe that NJ is trying to do too many projects with too little funding, given the current state of the budget. Time will tell.
September 23rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
am not convinced that the only question remaining is whether there will be a stop in Wenonah. The people always have the power to change things when there is enough opposition.
Time will tell if enough of those opposed will make their voices heard or whether they roll over in defeat, believing those who say that their voices will no longer be heard.
Let us not forget that Route 55 was designed and built years ago with passenger rail service (along this alternate route) in mind. Millions were spent at that time for the acquisition of additional land to allow enough room for future expansion, allowing for this public transportation. Park-and-ride lots were even mapped out back then.
Former Wenonah mayor Jack Sheppard has done tons of research on this issue. Makes you wonder who now benefits from this change (to a planned line along existing Conrail track bed) and disregard for expensive feasibility studies in the past that recommended the Route 42-Route 55 corridor.
Citizens for LOGICAL Commuter Rail Service
September 23rd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Join us to discuss your opposition to this plan.
http://www.wenonahnj.us/smforum
September 29th, 2009 at 4:13 am
Park-and-ride lots were even mapped out back then.