State DOT to fund $3 million study of North Brunswick Transit Village proposal

June 20, 2008

By GENE RACZ
STAFF WRITER

Proposed plans for a North Brunswick Train Station and Transit Village just got a $3 million boost from the state Department of Transportation, which will help fund a feasibility study.

The grant will be given to Middlesex County, primarily to examine ways to connect Route 130 and Route 1 in the vicinity of the station proposed for a 212-acre former Johnson & Johnson campus. In addition to a new stop along the New York to Trenton Northeast Corridor rail line, initial plans include a hotel and commercial and residential sites.

The former J&J site, including its 1.2 million square feet of building space, was purchased by North Brunswick TOD Associates, LLC, an affiliate of Garden Homes and Garden Commercial Properties, in summer 2006.

"The overall project is not one that's just good for North Brunswick, but one which would be good for the entire region and the entire state," North Brunswick Mayor Francis Womack said. "It is good that the state and the county are having the foresight to do this study not only when you look at the long-term economics for the region, but the day-to-day battle everyone has with gas prices. This is the kind of thing we need to be doing, and you can't have a Transit Village without the infrastructure.

"A study showing how much it will cost is a step in the right direction."

In a letter to Middlesex County Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel, dated May 28, state DOT Commissioner Kris Kolluri noted that the area between Route 130 and Route 1 in the proposed location "is made up of large expanses of wetlands, streams and forested areas." Kolluri added that the key for success in coming up with a viable plan will depend upon "coordination with the Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak."

Kolluri's letter proposed that Middlesex County assume the lead for the initial phases of the study and that in order for the DOT to fund successive phases of work, "this initial study must conclude that the project is feasible and fundable."

A new train station in North Brunswick would fill the largest gap in the New Jersey Transit System — a 14-mile stretch between the New Brunswick/Jersey Avenue stop and the Princeton Junction station.

North Brunswick has held a series of town meetings regarding the project which is conservatively estimated to cost about $100 million to complete.

Womack noted that NJ Transit has plans to install a loop for trains to turn around just south of the proposed station.

"We do know that the bigger picture is that in terms of the state of New Jersey and the towns, we've all got to get together and get our economic situation straightened out so that the Department of Transportation will have money to give us so we can actually have these things that we need."

Gene Racz: (732) 565-7306; gracz@mycentraljersey.com