Raritan Valley Rail Coalition To Announce Results Of Meeting With NJ TRANSIT

Submitted by the County of Union on behalf of the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition

The Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC) will present results of their meeting with NJ TRANSIT regarding the “one seat” ride into NY Penn Station at their quarterly meeting on Monday, June 30 at 8:30 am in the Westfield Council Chambers, 425 East Broad Street.

Kathleen Miller Prunty, Cranford’s Director of Business & Economic Development, will speak about the Township’s Transit-Oriented Development and the benefits of direct train service into NY Penn Station.

“We invite the public to come and listen and ask questions,” said RVRC Chairman Peter Palmer.  “It was gratifying to get “one seat” service for mid-day off peak, however, we need to continue the conversation about other time slots, including the intention to expand into the evening service in the Fall of 2014.”

Palmer, who is also a Freeholder in Somerset County, has been at the forefront of the RVRC’s efforts to find a way for train riders to stay in one seat and not have to change trains in Newark to get to NYC, hence the phrase “one seat” ride.

For almost twenty years the RVRC has been advocating for a “one seat” ride into NYC.  “Although the “one seat” ride is the main conversation right now, the RVRC has also been involved in negotiating upgrades for stations and doing many other things for the Raritan Valley Rail Line,” said Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, one of the RVRC Trustees. 

“It is important for local residents to come to these meetings to not only stay informed, but to use the forum to make their voices heard,” said Kowalski. 

For questions concerning the RVRC, please visit their website atwww.raritanvalleyrail.com or send an e-mail to info@raritanvalleyrail.com.