The Southern New Jersey Development Council (SNJDC) strongly supports the expansion of passenger rail service to the southern counties of New Jersey. 

There is a self-evident, growing interest in better public transportation in our rapidly expanding region, and for good reason.  After all, for those of us who live and commute in this region, who hasn’t been stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Route 55 entering Route 42 North?  Who hasn’t helplessly listened to traffic reports about congestion at the Creek Road exit?  And who hasn’t dealt with the horrors of Aljo’s Curve (located at Routes 295 and 42 south)? 

If we do not currently have the resources to make meaningful changes to our most congested roadways, we should invest in quality and efficient public transportation that will provide a viable alternative to commuters. 

The Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO), a subsidiary of the Delaware River Port Authority, has initiated a program to do just that.    

The PATCO Hi-Speed Line opened in February of 1969, carrying its first passengers from southern New Jersey over the Ben Franklin Bridge and into the city of Philadelphia.  Today, it is estimated that 38,000 commuters per day use PATCO to travel into the city.  That translates into approximately 12,500 fewer cars traveling South Jersey’s major highways, which means less traffic, less negative impact on our environment, and less headaches for the average commuter.

In a recent report by the U.S. Census Bureau, New Jersey ranked third among the states for “longest average commute-to-work,” behind only New York and Maryland.  While much of that statistic would seem to come from the North, the southern region is increasingly adding its share—as we all recognize.  In an effort to take some cars off our roadways, passenger rail service is a chief priority of South Jersey’s transportation network.

This past fall, PATCO officials released Phase I of its major transportation investment process. The recently completed Southern New Jersey to Philadelphia Corridor Transit Study began in April 2003, with a series of public meetings, and concluded with a Southern New Jersey Development Council-sponsored unveiling of the three suggested routes in South Jersey that extend from Camden south through Gloucester County and into Cumberland County; and two suggested routes in Center City Philadelphia. 

The total study area of 700 square-miles measured 46 miles long and 20 miles wide, extending from Millville, New Jersey to center city Philadelphia.  The study will aid PATCO officials in securing appropriate funding on both the state and federal level. Future steps include a formal alternative analysis, a draft environmental impact study, preliminary engineering, final design and, ultimately, construction. 

Recently, PATCO announced it has been awarded $1.5 million in funding from the New Jersey Department of Transportation for the next phase of the project, the alternatives analysis.  The study will provide a comprehensive analysis that evaluates several alternatives—including the three routes identified in the first phase of the project—for transit investments including various alignments and modes.

This study, a requirement of the Federal Transportation Administration to qualify for federal funding, is expected to last eighteen (18) months and will require a detailed look into ridership forecasts, full financial plans, and long-term operating and maintenance costs.  The end result of the study will be a “locally preferred alternative” for the rail line extension.

Over the past year, PATCO has taken time to listen to the public, elected officials and various business and service organizations across the region and met with the leaders of groups such as the Southern New Jersey Development Council. Input from the public and regional advocacy groups for the alternatives analysis study will continue to be solicited in the days ahead.

Since 1951, the SNJDC has reliably supported projects that contribute to the measured and responsible growth of our region. After much review, the SNJDC has concluded that this project is something that will substantially benefit the people of southern New Jersey.  For over thirty years PATCO has provided a sensible public transportation option for thousands of commuters.  Extension would provide that option to thousands more. 

The SNJDC fully supports this project and will continue to work with PATCO officials and various other interested parties to see the successful completion of extended passenger rail service in South Jersey.