October 26, 2020

Watson Coleman, Menendez, Booker, Murphy Announce $18.3 Million to Upgrade Trenton Transit Center

$27M total project to improve service, safety at busy Northeast Corridor transit hub

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez, ranking member of the Senate’s transit subcommittee, and Cory Booker, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.-12), member of the Appropriations subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Governor Phil Murphy today announced that NJ TRANSIT has been awarded an $18,281,313 Federal-State Partnership State of Good Repair Program grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to make major upgrades to the Trenton Transit Center.  The funding represents the federal share of a nearly $27 million total infrastructure improvement project. 

“I’m pleased the Federal Railroad Administration heeded my calls for these desperately needed funds,” said Rep. Watson Coleman.  “Many features of the Trenton Transit Center are outdated and decades behind similar stations in the region.  The planned repairs and upgrades will not only improve service to Trenton residents and visitors right now, they will reduce maintenance costs for years to come, ultimately saving local taxpayers.”

“Thousands of New Jersey commuters rely on the Trenton Transit Center to get to work, visit family and friends, see doctors, access shopping and downtown centers, and travel along the nation’s busy northeast corridor from Washington to Boston,” said Sen. Menendez.  “These critical infrastructure investments will not only improve the safety and reliability of service for rail and transit riders, but also ensure the Capital Region’s economic viability for years to come.”

“New Jersey commuters depend upon the Trenton Transit Center as an integral part of the state’s transportation network,” Sen. Booker said. “Infrastructure across our region is in dire need of repair in order to ensure we provide New Jerseyans the reliable, safe rail transit they deserve. I was proud to fight for this federal infrastructure investment that will help strengthen our economic growth, boost job creation, and ensure commuter safety.”

“The Trenton Transit Center is a critical component of our transit system providing access to our capital city while also serving as a gateway between the New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas,” said Gov. Murphy.  “With the assistance of Senator Menendez, Senator Booker, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, and our partners at the U.S. Department of Transportation, we have been able to secure funding that will make this critical piece of infrastructure more accessible for those living with disabilities, protect passengers from inclement weather, and provide other needed improvements.”

The project will rehabilitate the station’s two island platforms, restore the canopies for these platforms and construct an American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible high-level platform with an elevator from concourse level to facilitate future service expansion for Amtrak, NJ TRANSIT, and SEPTA.  These upgrades will ultimately result in increased passenger safety and convenience, reduce maintenance costs and frequency and mitigate passenger congestion on platforms.  

"Trenton Transit Center is a vital transit hub connecting NJ TRANSIT rail customers to Amtrak, SEPTA and the NJ TRANSIT River LINE light rail services," said NJDOT Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.  "We thank the USDOT and FRA for this important award that will fund necessary construction work at the station and improve the quality of commute for our customers. We are also grateful to our congressional delegation for their continued support of New Jersey's transportation infrastructure."

NJ TRANSIT will replace deteriorating wooden platform sections with a more durable concrete surface, add new tactile strips and rub rails, reconstruct platform deck joints, and repair concrete spalls. Additionally, canopies that were last reconstructed in 1992 and are deteriorating and no longer sufficiently protect passengers from inclement weather, will be restored.  

"NJ TRANSIT is grateful to the USDOT and FRA for this crucial funding, which will advance a critical project that includes state-of-good-repair work and customer experience enhancements at Trenton Transit Center," said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin Corbett.  "We also thank our congressional delegation for their continued efforts that helped secure this funding to support this vital, but previously unfunded, project that can be found in our 5-Year Capital Plan at njtplans.com."

NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak will contribute approximately $7.1 million and $1.6 million, respectively, to complete the project. 

“Enhanced safety, improved reliability, and investment to drive economic recovery are all big wins for rail passengers and the economy,” said Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia.  “We thank the FRA for this grant, our partners at NJ TRANSIT and SEPTA, and all of the federal and local officials who are committed to upgrading Trenton Transit Center and the Northeast Corridor infrastructure through these grants.”

The Trenton Transit Center is NJ TRANSIT’s 12th busiest station.  It serves NJ TRANSIT’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) Trenton Line Regional Rail, and 11 Amtrak intercity rail lines.  Nearly 3,700 NJ TRANSIT customers on an average weekday (FY2019) and over 430,000 Amtrak riders a month (FY2018) board at the station.