The New Jersey Senate Transportation Committee has advanced legislation to require New Jersey Transit and bus and rail stations to display historical information about the surrounding area in or around stations and terminals.
The bill, S-149, would require New Jersey Transit to identify and display a marker of historical sites and memorials near the station. NJ Transit would be required to design, purchase, erect and maintain a marker, such as a plaque, marker or tablet.
“New Jersey has a rich history that many people are unaware of. William Franklin, one of Ben Franklin’s sons and the last royal Governor of New Jersey, resided in Perth Amboy,” state Sen. Patrick Diegnan, D-Middlesex, said in a news release. “The Proprietary House is still maintained to this day, yet individuals visiting the area may never know that this local historical site exists. The intent behind this legislation is to highlight the state’s incredible and vast history that has gone unrecognized by many in more recent years.”
Lawmakers cited Joseph Bonaparte, Napolean Bonaparte’s brother, who resided in Bordentown, New Jersey, between 1816 and 1839. In 2021, his former 60-acre estate, Point Breeze, was announced to become a state park.
The committee passed the bill by a 5-0 vote.
