Expanded Commuting Options for South Brunswick Residents a Few Years Away

Discussions are ongoing between South Brunswick and New Jersey Transit for two new park-and-ride sites in the township.  The sites currently being discussed for expansion are along Route 1 near the Beekman Road intersection and another near the Independence Way intersection.

"This will be a tremendous help to our residents to get to Princeton Junction or to the Jersey Avenue station in New Brunswick," said Public Affairs Coordinator Ron Schmalz.  

The proposed park-and-ride at Beekman Road would be constructed near the entrance to Beech Woods Park.  The location would allow use of the existing parking spots at the park, in addition to a planned 85 parking spots that could be added for the new park-and-ride.

New Jersey Transit officials said they were looking at properties that could serve multiple functions.  

"Both of these sites would have tremendous potential," said Mayor Frank Gambatese.

The project is to be funded by a $4 million federal transportation grant awarded to South Brunswick in 2006. The addition of the park-and-ride facilities would help to ease traffic on Route 1, while also alleviating parking issues at the train station in Princeton Junction, Schmalz said.

New Jersey Transit spokesman Tom Clark estimated 150 to 200 South Brunswick residents park their cars at the Princeton Junction train station.  By expanding an existing bus route to include the proposed new park-and-rides, residents would be able to leave their cars in town rather than driving to Princeton Junction or New Brunswick.

"Using the existing services more efficiently would get more riders for us and would expand your services," Clark said at last week's council meeting.

Discussions are ongoing with Suburban Transit to provide express routes to and from New York City twice each weekday.  New Jersey Transit is also working on a plan to expand bus service in the area by adding six new routes that would run through South Brunswick, Franklin, North Brunswick and on to Jersey Avenue in New Brunswick, dependent on available funding.

Both park-and-ride sites would be owned by South Brunswick and constructed by New Jersey Transit.  Township Manager Matthew Watkins estimated it could be two years before the first park-and-ride was in place.