REGION – The Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC) will be holding a special Open House meeting in Cranford on October 27 from 6 to 8 pm to update the public on the issues surrounding the ‘one seat’ ride initiative. NJ TRANSIT’s decision last week to not roll out the after 8 pm weekday ‘one seat’ service as planned has brought this issue to the forefront.
RVRC is a non-profit, bi-partisan advocacy group that was established in 1998 primarily to advocate for a ‘one seat’ ride into NYC Penn Station for the Raritan Valley Rail Line. Some progress has been made with the partial deployment of dual powered locomotives during weekday off peak, but budget constraints were cited by NJ TRANSIT as the reason no further deployment would be made this year.
While the RVRC usually holds morning meetings, they are holding a special public meeting on October 27 from 6-8 pm to accommodate commuters at the Cranford Community Center at 220 Walnut Avenue in Cranford (one block from the train station). A representative from NJ TRANSIT will be present along with Coalition members to update the public regarding service along the line and it will give the public the opportunity to ask questions, get information and share ideas.
“In light of recent developments, it is critical that residents, commuters and businesses attend this meeting and make their voices heard. The meeting is open to everyone from every town on the Raritan Valley Line. Elected officials and NJ TRANSIT need to hear how important the ‘one seat’ ride is to everyone along this line,” said Peter Palmer, Somerset Freeholder and Chairman of the RVRC.
“The Freeholder Board is determined to work with New Jersey Transit to overcome this temporary setback and restore the funding to keep moving forward,” said Union County Freeholder and RVRC Trustee Bette Jane Kowalski. “The cost of expanding one-seat rides on the Raritan Valley Line is very low, and the payback is enormous in terms of economic development, improved property values, and the productivity of our commuting workforce. Please come out and have your voice be heard.”
https://www.facebook.com/raritanvalleyrail?ref=hl
Further information: Mindy Scarlett 908-499-9298 info@raritanvalleyrail.com
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