New Jersey Puts $49M Into Northeast Corridor Rail Enhancements

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square, The Center Square New Jersey

September 27, 2022

(The Center Square) — Users of the New Brunswick Train Station should expect to see tangible evidence of the infrastructure upgrades made part of the New Jersey budget agreement for 2023.

The $49 million investment includes extension and replacement of passenger platforms; rehabilitation of escalators and elevators; installation of energy-efficient lighting; heating and air conditioning upgrades; and a few other internal and external projects.

A release from the governor's office said the northeast corridor rail line's improvements are part of an $814 million budget agreement dedicated to rail station improvements via the Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund.

The Middlesex County Improvement Authority, working for and in conjunction with NJ TRANSIT, will handle the design and construction.

In the release, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-New Jersey, said, "These upgrades to the station's infrastructure will help make it safer and more accessible for commuters who rely on public transit. When we invest in our public transit system, we ensure that everyone has access to opportunities in our state. I look forward to seeing these upgrades move forward."

Kevin Corbett, the NJ TRANSIT president and CEO, said in the release that the revitalization will "enhance accessibility, mobility, and the customer experience for thousands of Middlesex County residents" using the rail line daily.

Christopher Paladino, president of New Brunswick Development Corp., said the moves will keep the Rutgers Cancer Institute and NJ Innovation HUB easily accessible to "researchers, patients, employees and visitors from Boston to Washington, D.C."

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