TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE 66 MAIN STREET, WEST ORANGE, N.J. 07052
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMISSION
Susan Anderson Tel: (973) 325-4133 Communications Director Email: [email protected] Public Information Officer [email protected]
ROBERT D. PARISI Mayor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West Orange announces contingency plan for residents affected by NJ Transit rail strike
WEST ORANGE, N.J. (Office of Public Information) March 10, 2016 -- West Orange commuters should prepare themselves for longer commutes into New York City if New Jersey Transit rail workers strike Sunday.
The Township of West Orange will enhance peak service on its Jitney, which will run between the Kmart Shopping Center and the Newark Light Rail at Grove Street in Bloomfield. (For pickup point located near STS Tire and Auto Center, see map http://westorange.org/DocumentCenter/View/2708).
Jitney buses will run weekday mornings from 6 to 9 a.m. and evenings from 5:15 to 9:15 p.m. All regular Jitney routes will be suspended until further notice in the event of a strike.
Jitney service is free and open to West Orange residents only. Proof of residency will be required to board. The shopping center is a drop-off and pick-up location only. Commuter parking will not be permitted. Buses from the Kmart Shopping Center will go directly to the Grove Street Station to connect to the light rail. The light rail will go to the PATH train at Newark Penn Station. Please note, some trains may bypass Journal Square in Jersey City and go straight to Manhattan, according to NJ Transit officials. From there, commuters may need to catch a PATH from World Trade Center to Jersey City and Hoboken locations. Commuters can use New York City subways or buses to access other locations.
NJ Transit bus service will not be affected by the strike.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER www.westorange.org Coach USA bus service will continue to operate weekdays as scheduled. Parking is available at the Codey Arena park-and-ride on a first-come, first-served basis.
Decamp Bus service will operate as usual.
NO community or private shuttles are allowed to access Newark Penn Station, Harrison PATH Station, Hoboken Terminal, or Metropark and Hamilton stations, for pick-up and drop-off. These locations will be reserved for authorized NJ TRANSIT contingency services and will have extreme street and pedestrian congestion.
Per NJ Transit officials, community and private shuttles are NOT to travel directly into or out of Manhattan, as extreme congestion is expected at the Hudson River crossings and on city streets. There are also stringent NYC DOT requirements for on street boarding and alighting. NJ Transit has been negotiating street space for its buses and independent efforts will only lead to confusion and disorder.
Transit officials say in the event of a strike, highway backups of more than 20 miles heading into Manhattan are possible. More than 10,000 cars per hour will be on the roadways during peak travel times, officials said.
We encourage residents to visit njtransit.com/railstoppage for more information about the NJ Transit’s contingency plans and for the latest updates. For more information on the township’s Jitney service or to download the app for arrival and departure times, visit www.westorange.org/strikeplan or call 973-325-4160 Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Information on commuter bus service is available at www.coachusa.com and www.decamp.com/schedules_routes.asp.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER www.westorange.org