Page 2 Thursday, September 30, 1999 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION County East-West Rail Link NJ Transit Head: Direct Rail Service Estimated at Up to $221 Mil. To NYC Remains a Distant Goal

By PAUL J. PEYTON necting midtown Elizabeth with the NJ Transit’s , By KIM KINTER politan Transit Authority and the group, he said he was already well Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times monorail system at Newark Interna- according to James Daly, Director of Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times Port Authority, in fact, recommended aware of gripes expressed by Raritan ELIZABETH — A proposed 17- tional Airport, estimated at $239 the county’s Division of Policy and WESTFIELD – Although the new the use of the dual mode locomotive. Valley Line commuters. mile east-west rail link connecting million, would be completed first. Planning. Executive Director of NJ Transit, Mr. Warsh, who pointed out that His wife, Amy, who commutes into Plainfield and Elizabeth and towns That part of the project, known as An electric light rail system from knows exactly what is on the minds he was only in week 11 of his new New York City daily, keeps him ap- in between would be “viable but the Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link, will Elizabeth to Plainfield would trans- of many Raritan Valley Line com- position, was invited by the Raritan prised, he pointed out. costly,” a consultant to the Union include stops in downtown Newark, port riders from Plainfield to the muters – direct train service into Valley Rail Coalition to speak about Another issue, which the group County Board of Chosen Freeholders at the soon to open Jersey Gardens airport in 42 minutes and generate Manhattan – he did not offer much his vision for NJ Transit and to ad- asked Mr. Warsh to address, is the said last week. Value Mega Mall and the IKEA store the higher ridership, Raytheon’s re- hope this week that it would happen dress particular issues which the need to increase the number of trains The proposed rail link would cost in Elizabeth. port found. any time soon. group has been discussing for the last accessing New York Penn Station. anywhere from $76 to $221 million, The six-mile Newark Airport- The other seven options studied by Jeffrey A. Warsh, 39, who hails year and a half. The new Executive Director said according to a report from the county’s Elizabeth Link, which is being done Raytheon, utilizing a mixed use of from Westfield, was the guest speaker These issues include the develop- NJ Transit is looking at several ways consultant, Raytheon Infrastructure as part of a public-private partner- electric and diesel drive train cars, at a meeting Monday morning of the ment of a dual mode locomotive for to create more so-called “slots,” which Inc. of New York. ship with NJ Transit, is expected to would add another 10 minutes per Raritan Valley Rail Coalition. use on the Raritan Valley Line. are the number of trains that can get Steven Santoro, a Project Manager generate 14,000 daily riders. Extend- trip. These options all would require Speaking to a small group as- The coalition itself is a non-profit in and out of New York during peak with Raytheon, said the rail line con- ing the project 11 miles out to transfer points to switch from diesel sembled at the Westfield Municipal group comprised of municipal and hours. Plainfield would increase that num- to electric cars. Building, Mr. Warsh started off by county officials, commuters and la- For instance, an enhanced signal- ber anywhere from 2,000 to 7,000. Mr. Santoro noted that a system of saying it is “no mystery” that Raritan bor unions. Members are concerned ing system is already being con- Trailside Offering The second phase of the east-west light rail from the airport to Roselle Valley rail riders are concerned about about improving service and stations structed between Newark and New Variety of Workshops rail project would connect Elizabeth Park and diesel on west to Plainfield getting a so-called “one seat ride,” or along the Raritan Valley Line, which York that will allow train cars to run to Cranford utilizing the old Central would generate the second highest direct, uninterrupted train service into services Westfield, Scotch Plains and closer together. Related improve- For Kids and Parents line, a line that has been ridership after electric light rail from Manhattan, but that several obstacles Fanwood. ments will increase the number of MOUNTAINSIDE – The Trailside defunct for more than 20 years. Elizabeth to Plainfield. must first be overcome. Mr. Warsh is a former Republican slots to 10. Nature and Science Center in The last segment would connect Union County Manager Michael J. As those who have followed the assemblyman who spent the last few Not all 10 slots will be available to Mountainside is offering a variety of the line further west from Cranford Lapolla explained that only electric push for the “one seat ride” know, a years as a Senior Vice President at Raritan Valley Line riders, however, workshops for children and their par- to Plainfield on NJ Transit property light rail can be used to connect the new tunnel is needed between New the MWW Group, a lobbying and since a number will be used by the ents this fall. using the Raritan Valley Line. That airport with midtown Elizabeth due Jersey and New York before that can public relations firm in East Ruther- Montclair Line, he added. Some brand new workshops are line includes stops in Fanwood, to environmental issues. happen. ford. One of his main clients was Mr. Warsh said he also has been geared toward preschool to fifth grade Westfield, Garwood, Cranford and In order to form a consensus with The current tunnel has two tracks Raytheon Infrastructure Services, a told that because of work being done children and their families: Roselle Park. towns west of Elizabeth, Mr. Daly on both sides, but during peak travel major NJ Transit contractor. at New York’s Grand Central Station “Two of Us” — an interactive pro- Eight alternatives have been pro- recommended the formation of a hours they are heavily used and no Raytheon has been doing a study to allow more trains to travel through gram for children ages 3 and 4 accom- posed to connect westward to “working committee” with represen- more trains can be added. on the proposed cross county light the station, NJ Transit may gain some panied by an adult — encourages child Plainfield. Other than the first plan, tatives from each of these towns, the Mr. Warsh said he has heard a $6 rail line, and also is proposing a cross slots. and adult to discover nature together which exclusively uses electric light Raritan Valley Coalition, the county’s billion price tag put on the project, county line. To ease overcrowding, Mr. Warsh through exploration, hikes and outdoor rail, the proposals include a mix of Transportation Advisory Board and which would require a regional co- The new Executive Director has said the NJ Transit Board of Direc- activities. light rail and diesel cars. “other stakeholders along the line.” operation among various agencies. If not worked for a transportation tors on Friday, October 8, will con- “Two of Us” classes are offered Tues- Mr. Santoro said a consensus is Mr. Daly said it is imperative that a tunnel project were to be agreed agency before, although he served on sider awarding a contract to a group days from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 to currently lacking on which of these the eight alternatives are boiled down upon soon, it could be 12 to 15 years the Assembly’s Transportation Com- to develop specifications for 200 cus- 2:30 p.m. in October, November and options, either light right or diesel, is to “one specific alternative” so that before a new structure would be in mittee. tom-made bi-level trains for the December. Pre-registration is required best to complete the east-west rail the project can move forward. place, he added. Although the Coalition had out- Northeast Corridor Line, North Jer- and the fee is $4 per person for each link. Also, officials are unclear as to In order to speed up the process Another obstacle is that electric lined its concerns in their invitation sey Coast Line and the Morris and class. where on the line the change from Freeholder Lewis Mingo of Plainfield trains are required for entry into New to Mr. Warsh to speak before the CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 There will also be a family workshop diesel to electric cars would occur. suggested that those proposals that York and the trains that run on the series called “Dusk to Dark,” for chil- Among those transfer sites consid- are not practical be cut from the list Raritan Valley Line are all diesel. dren ages 6 and up with an adult, in- ered by Raytheon were midtown of eight plans. Currently, commuters get off in cludes a “Night Hike” on Wednesday, Elizabeth, Roselle-Roselle Park and The county’s Transportation Ad- Newark and transfer onto either an- October 6, at 7 p.m. Hikers will look Cranford. and listen for evidence of nocturnal visory Committee is expected to com- other NJ Transit electrified train for residents who visit Lake Surprise at “All of the alternatives have some ment on Raytheon’s plan at its next travel into midtown or a PATH train night. Night hikers will gather at the impact on the (NJ Transit’s) Raritan meeting on Wednesday, October 6, at for travel into lower Manhattan. Lake Surprise parking lot, located on Valley Line, including the light rail,” 8 p.m. at the county’s administration Mr. Warsh told his audience that W.R. Tracy Drive in the Watchung Res- said Mr. Santoro. building in Westfield. The plan will he is interested in electrifying the ervation. In fact, under the proposal to use also be presented to the Raritan Coa- entire Raritan Valley Line, at an es- Registration is required and the fee is electric light rail to connect Plainfield lition. timated cost of $90 million. There $3 per person. Hikers should bring to the airport, the Raritan commuter Raytheon was hired by the free- are dual mode locomotives, which their own flashlights. line would have to be converted to a holders at a cost of $380,000 last are trains that can travel either via For a fall program brochure, please single track operation at the Westfield year, $300,000 of which was paid for electricity or diesel, but Mr. Warsh call or visit the Trailside Nature and station, Netherwood station in with a Federal Transit Administra- said using those would entail exten- Science Center, located at 452 New Plainfield and the Fanwood station. tion Transportation Equity Act of the sive training of personnel and equip- Providence Road, Mountainside, at The service proposed either paral- 21st Century (TEA-21) grant. The ment retrofitting. (908) 789-3670. lels or crosses the tracks used by the county paid the remainder of the He favors “doing it (electrifica- study. tion) and getting it done with.” He said achieving this takes capital and HolidayHoliday SpecialSpecial that a new transportation trust fund is needed which might necessitate an increase in the gas tax. Mr. Warsh’s proposal for electrifi- William A. Burke for The Westfield Leader and The Times Free Foil Imprinting cation of the Raritan Valley Line is a OBSERVING ITS 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY…NJ Transit’s new Executive Director Jeffrey A. Warsh, a Westfield resident, left, accepts a special presen- departure from the recommendations tation from Raritan Valley Rail Coalition Vice Chairman and Union County on any holiday boxed card purchase of groups that advocated the use of Freeholder Lewis Mingo of Plainfield. The presentation, given to Mr. Warsh dual mode locomotives. during the group’s meeting this week in Westfield, congratulates NJ Transit on Gold or Silver Foil Available A joint study by NJ Transit, Metro- its 20th anniversary, which occurred earlier this summer. Script or Block Print 42B S. Martine Avenue, Fanwood (908) 322-6773 Up To 2 Lines Offer Valid Through October 24th

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