Glassboro–Camden Line

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Glassboro–Camden Line
Glassboro-Camden line logo.png
Overview
LocaleCamden and Gloucester counties, New Jersey
TerminiWalter Rand Transportation Center
Glassboro
Stations14
Websiteglassborocamdenline.com
Service
TypeTram-train, light rail
SystemNJ Transit
Services1
Technical
Line length18 mi (29 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map

Legend
River Line
to Entertainment Center
PATCO to Philadelphia
 Walter Rand Trans. Center
PATCO
to Lindenwold
River Line
to Trenton Transit Center
 Cooper–Campbell
South Camden
Gloucester City
Crown Point Road
Red Bank Avenue
Woodbury
Salem Secondary &
Penns Grove Secondary
 Woodbury Heights
Wenonah
Mantua Boulevard
Sewell
Mantua/Pitman
Pitman
Rowan University
Glassboro
Vineland Secondary
This diagram:

The Glassboro–Camden Line (GCL) is an 18-mile (29 km) diesel multiple unit (DMU) light rail system planned for the southwestern part of New Jersey in the United States.[1][2] At the northern terminus, the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, it will connect with the River Line with which its infrastructure and vehicles will be compatible, and paid transfers will be possible to the PATCO Speedline. The route will generally follow the right of way (ROW) of Conrail's South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets Operations Vineland Secondary freight rail line, which continues beyond the light rail terminus in Glassboro. The project is part of a greater plan to expand public transportation in the Delaware Valley metro area.[3]

The Glassboro–Camden Line will use vehicles similar to the NJ Transit River Line.

History[]

In the early 1990s, NJ Transit (NJT) commissioned a major investment study to examine mass transit options for the South Jersey region in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester. A passenger rail connection from Camden to Glassboro was among the proposals in the report released in 1996.[4]

In May 2009, New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine and the Delaware River Port Authority announced the project.[3] It was expected to cost $1.8 billion and be completed in 2019.[5] However, due to lack of funds, local opposition, and other setbacks, that date was never reached. An environmental impact report was completed and released in February 2021.[6]

Funding[]

In July 2012, NJT received $2.6 million in federal funding to advance the project.[7]

In July 2014, the Federal Transit Administration said it would not proceed with a required environmental study because no owner or operator had been identified. While the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) was overseeing the $8.1 million environmental study, the agency had not agreed to build or run the line. NJT agreed to fund the study, but had also not committed to building or running the line.[8][9]

As New Jersey raised its gas taxes in 2016, the line was targeted to receive funding for construction. Any possible advancement of the project is unlikely to take place until after 2025 according to the vice chairman of DRPA.[10] It is expected that engineering work, if ever approved, would take a minimum of 18 months.[citation needed]

When the environmental report was released in February 2021, it was announced that the South Jersey Transportation Authority would be contributing $200 million dollars to the project.[6]

Route and stations[]

The Glassboro–Camden Line is located within Camden County and Gloucester County.

Within Camden, it will follow a newly-constructed route south from Walter Rand Transportation Center. It would then utilize the Conrail-owned Vineland Secondary right-of-way (ROW) between Camden and Glassboro.

As of 2021, plans call for fourteen stations: three in Camden, one each in Gloucester City, Westville, two in Woodbury, one each in Woodbury Heights, Mantua, Sewell, Mantua/Pitman, Pitman, and two stations in Glassboro.[11] In a non-binding referendum, Wenonah citizens voted against allowing a station in town. The town council also passed such a resolution.[12] Other towns have expressed concern over the route through them.[13]

Regional transit plans[]

The Glassboro–Camden Line is part of a broader plan to expand a regional multimodal transportation network in Delaware Valley metro area including service across the Delaware River to Philadelphia.[14] Other elements of network would include additions and adjustments to PATCO Speedline and Atlantic City Line and the development of new system of bus rapid transit in New Jersey. The region is served by NJT buses 400–499.

The bus rapid transit component would be developed along the heavily traveled corridor comprising I-676, Route 42, and Route 55[15] The southern end of the system would be a newly constructed park and ride in Deptford on Route 55 and an expanded one in Winslow with peak-hour buses running at 10–15 minute intervals.[16] Travelling northwest, the two lines would converge to pass through downtown Camden, where transfers would be possible for other components of the network, including at the Walter Rand Transportation Center.[17] They would then continue over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, equipped with reversible or contra-flow lanes to a point near Philadelphia City Hall.[16]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Fact Sheet 2013" (PDF). Glassboro-Camden Line. DVPA & PATCO. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  2. ^ "NJ Transit Board Advances South Jersey Transportation Projects" (Press release). New Jersey Transit. December 9, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Baldwin, Zoe (May 22, 2009). "South Jersey Transit Improvements on Tap". Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  4. ^ Dooley, Tara; Dalan, Matthew (July 26, 1996). "NJ Transit Study Explores S. Jersey Rail-line Options. Burlco Officials Are Pleased With The Report. Gloucester County Residents Are Not". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014.
  5. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (May 23, 2013). "Big ifs loom over Camden-Glassboro rail plan". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Comegno, Carol (February 26, 2021). "Glassboro-Camden light rail line proposal may pick up speed". Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (July 24, 2012). "NJ Transit receives $2.6 million for rapid-bus system". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  8. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (October 9, 2014). "Glassboro-Camden light-rail plan hits a snag". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  9. ^ Laday, Jason (February 16, 2015). "Glassboro-Camden light rail still on hold with 'no timeline' while officials debate transportation funding". South Jersey Times. Retrieved April 21, 2016 – via NJ.com.
  10. ^ Duhart, Bill (September 24, 2019). "Camden-Gloucester light rail line could start construction in 'a couple of years,' Sweeney says". NJ.com. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  11. ^ "Stations". Glassboro–Camden Line. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  12. ^ Polhamus, Andy (November 23, 2014). "Glassboro-Camden Line support mixed with project put on hold". NJ.com. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  13. ^ Duhart, Bill (January 18, 2021). "Light rail for South Jersey inches along but some neighbors don't want noisy train in their backyard". NJ.com. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  14. ^ Baldwin, Zoe (May 22, 2009). "South Jersey Transit Improvements on Tap". Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  15. ^ "Route 55,42,767 study area map" (PDF). Alternative Analysis. southjerseytransit.com. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Nussbaum, Paul (March 12, 2012). "NJ Transit eyes Philadelphia-South Jersey rapid-bus system". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  17. ^ "Alternatives Analysis". southjerseytransit.com. Retrieved April 8, 2012.

External links[]

Coordinates: 39°58′41″N 75°03′44″W / 39.9781°N 75.0623°W / 39.9781; -75.0623

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