Mercer County Gets $175K Grant For Johnson Trolley Trail Study

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — The County was recently awarded a $175,000 grant from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) for a Johnson Trolley Trail Corridor study, County Executive Brian M. Hughes said.

Mercer County will develop an alignment for the Johnson Trolley Trail. This Circuit Trails network provides enhanced connections from Trenton through Ewing and Lawrence townships, and the Municipality of Princeton.

The project is the largest among the six selected in New Jersey by the DVRPC, and will be funded through the Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) grant program.

“I thank the DVRPC for this generous grant award to help Mercer County, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and our municipal partners advance this proposed bicycle and pedestrian trail link,” Hughes said in a statement. “The Johnson Trolley Trail Corridor would benefit our communities by promoting economic opportunity, transportation, recreation and health in a climate-friendly way.”

“We are very grateful to the DVRPC, Mercer County, the City of Trenton, Ewing and Lawrence townships, and the Municipality of Princeton as partners in this endeavor,” said Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation Chair David Sandahl. “Working together, we will make the vision of reconnecting our communities a reality.”

The Johnson Trolley began operating in 1902 and in its peak year of 1921 carried 1.6 million fares. It was named after Albert Johnson, a Kentucky native who operated a streetcar company in Cleveland and then acquired franchises in New Jersey.

A one-way trip between Princeton and Trenton took 35 minutes. The trolley’s heyday were cut short by the automobile. The last passengers traveled the line in 1940. Today, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and many other trails make use of former rail lines, offering hikers and bikers a calmer alternative to the highway.

Created by DVRPC, TCDI grants utilize federal transportation funds to support planning initiatives that further our region’s progress toward DVRPC’s vision for an equitable, resilient, and sustainable region. Since its beginning in 2002, the TCDI program has awarded over 300 grants, invested over $22 million, and leveraged over $250 million to municipal and county partners.

“The TCDI program furthers local efforts to improve the quality of life for communities,” said Ariella Maron, Executive Director, DVRPC. “This year’s projects seek to expand access to existing public transit, business centers, and recreational areas; make streets safer for all users, including pedestrians and cyclists; contribute to healthier neighborhoods by encouraging active transportation and decreasing congestion; and help to reduce our region’s carbon footprint.”