A New Jersey lawmaker lambasted the proposed 18-mile commuter route for the Glassboro-Camden Line.
Republican state Sen. Edward Durr called the route in its current form a patchwork approach that will divide smaller towns, increase traffic, and endanger the safety of residents.
“I do not oppose a new rail system to help commuters and residents, but the current route being put forward for the Glassboro-Camden rail line will hurt more than it will help South Jersey,” Durr said.
“This project has been in the works on and off since the 1990s, and at one point, was planned to run on the Route 55 median—which was, and still is, a sensible solution because it would not impact smaller towns,” Durr added. “The route that is being suggested now cuts directly through the heart of 12 different municipalities with little regard for traffic, parking, and noise from a diesel-electric train running every 10 minutes.”
The Glassboro-Camden Line is a proposed 18-mile passenger rail line that would start at Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden and travel 18 miles south to Glassboro with 12 other stops in between, including Gloucester City, Woodbury, and Pitman.
In January 2008, a route was proposed to run the rail along Route 55 and join the existing PATCO line. The route was favored by many because it would not impact smaller towns and would resolve eminent domain issues, traffic concerns, and resident safety.
“All parties should come together to find a reasonable solution and present it to the people before moving forward,” Durr said. “This is an extremely important issue that will impact every town between Camden and Glassboro. It should not be decided by corporations and faceless bureaucrats.”
A rail line between Camden and Glassboro was first suggested in 1996 as part of a larger study on expanding mass transit options in South Jersey. The project has undergone many iterations since that time.
