NJ TRANSIT CUTS RIBBON ON NEW PARKING LOT AT EDISON STATION |
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NJ Transit
Source: PressReleasePoint.com
29 December 2009
Federal stimulus-funded project benefits hundreds of commuters
NJT-09-132
NEWARK, NJ — Senator Robert Menendez and Congressman Frank Pallone joined NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Richard Sarles and other officials today at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new 477-space parking lot that more than doubles parking capacity at Edison Station on the Northeast Corridor rail line.
The lot opens to customers January 1.
The event marked the first of NJ TRANSIT’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) projects reaching completion, and was finished within budget and ahead of schedule. Petillo Inc. of Flanders, New Jersey, was awarded a $4.7 million construction contract in April.
“The completion of this federal Recovery Act project will increase access to one of New Jersey's busiest rail stations and reduce congestion on our roadways,” said Senator Frank R. Lautenberg. “I am pleased that Recovery Act projects like this are benefiting our economy and further strengthening New Jersey's mass transit network.”
“In the midst of the toughest times our nation and state have seen in generations, we set out with President Obama to pass a bold reinvestment and recovery plan to create jobs. We did so, putting people to work on projects like this one to get our economic wheels turning again,” said Senator Menendez. “Less than eleven months later, we are cutting the ribbon on a model recovery project that made the holiday season brighter for the families of all those who worked on it and that will help create economic security long into the future.”
"The best thing about this project is that it put people to work in good jobs. This lot will help support transportation needs and is also good for the environment," said Congressman Pallone. "But our immediate need is the economy—when this lot opens we need to look for more ways to put money to work with jobs and economic stimulus."
“This project demonstrates how NJ TRANSIT is putting federal stimulus funds to good use, creating jobs for workers now by investing in improvements that will benefit our customers for years to come,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Chairman Stephen Dilts.
“NJ TRANSIT was pleased to accelerate this project because we understand that adequate parking helps residents choose public transportation, which saves our customers money and benefits the environment,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Richard Sarles. “That’s why we have worked independently and with private developers and local governments to add more than 14,000 parking spaces throughout the state over the past several years.”
"The Edison community is thrilled to have expanded parking options for our residents as we begin the new year,” said Edison Mayor Jun Choi. “This project demonstrates what is possible when partnerships are established across federal, state and local governments. We thank Richard Sarles and NJ TRANSIT for their hard work and commitment to improving public transportation services throughout the State. We thank our Congressional representatives and the Obama administration for securing the ARRA funds required to cross the finish line."
The new lot, located off Kilmer Road near the outbound platform, offers 120 daily spaces and 357 permit parking spaces. A walkway connects the lot to Plainfield Avenue, from which customers can access the Edison Station building and the inbound and outbound platforms.
With the opening of the new lot, commuters will have access to 816 parking spaces, including 339 in the reconfigured existing lots between Central Avenue and the inbound boarding platform. The lot closest to the station building was repaved as part of the project, and a small outdoor plaza with tables and benches was installed just south of the station building.
The inbound lots primarily will be for permit-holders, although any spaces in the lot adjacent to the station building that remain unoccupied after 10 a.m. will be made available to daily parking customers.
Park America, which operates the existing lots on the inbound side, will operate the new lot as well. Rates are $4 per day or $55 per month. Permits are sold on a quarterly basis.
Edison Station is the 11th busiest of the 165 stations and terminals served by NJ TRANSIT, serving approximately 6,500 customers each weekday with direct service to Newark, Secaucus Junction and Penn Station New York, among other destinations.
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 60 light rail stations and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.