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Glassboro–Camden Line

The Glassboro–Camden Line (GCL) is a planned 18-mile (29 km) diesel multiple unit (DMU) light rail system to be located in South Jersey.[1][2]

Glassboro–Camden Line
Overview
LocaleCamden and Gloucester counties, New Jersey, U.S.
Termini
Stations14
Websiteglassborocamdenline.com
Service
TypeTram-train, light rail
SystemNJ Transit
Services1
History
Planned opening2028
Technical
Line length18 mi (29 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map

Legend
River Line
to Entertainment Center
PATCO to Philadelphia
 Walter Rand Trans. Center
PATCO
to Lindenwold
River Line
to Trenton Transit Center
 Lanning Square
South Camden
Gloucester City
Crown Point Road
Red Bank Avenue
Woodbury
Salem Secondary &
Penns Grove Secondary
 Woodbury Heights
Woodbury Heights Vehicle
Maintenance Facility
 Mantua
Sewell
Mantua/Pitman
Pitman
North Glassboro
Bridgeton branch
Glassboro Vehicle
Maintenance Facility
Vineland Secondary
Williamston and Delaware
River branch
 Glassboro
This diagram:

At the northern terminus, the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, it will connect with the River Line with which its infrastructure and vehicles will be compatible, and paid transfers will be possible to the PATCO Speedline. The route will generally follow the right of way (ROW) of Conrail's South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets Operations Vineland Secondary freight rail line, which continues beyond the light rail terminus in Glassboro. The project is part of a greater plan to expand public transportation in the Delaware Valley metro area.[3]

History

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The Glassboro–Camden Line will use vehicles similar to those used currently in NJ Transit's River Line.

In the early 1990s, NJ Transit (NJT) commissioned a major investment study to examine mass transit options for the South Jersey region in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester.[4] A passenger rail connection from Camden to Glassboro was among the proposals in the report released in 1996.[5]

In May 2009, New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine and the Delaware River Port Authority announced the project, which was expected to cost $1.8 billion and be completed in 2019.[3][6] However, due to lack of funds, local opposition, and other setbacks, construction has yet to begin as of 2021.[7]

An environmental impact report was completed and released in February 2021.[8] In October 2022, the project entered the design phase and engineering phase, expected to take three years,[9][10] with the project anticipated to be completed in 2028.[11] In November 2023, residents in Mantua Township held a non-binding referendum on the proposed rail line, voting 68.77% against the proposal.[12]

In August 2024, NJ Transit became the "agency of record" for the project.[13]

Funding

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In July 2012, NJT received $2.6 million in federal funding to advance the project.[14]

In July 2014, the Federal Transit Administration said it would not proceed with a required environmental study because no owner or operator had been identified. While the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) was overseeing the $8.1 million environmental study, the agency had not agreed to build or run the line. NJT agreed to fund the study, but had also not committed to building or running the line.[15][16] In August 2024, NJ Transit became the "agency of record" for the project.[13]

As New Jersey raised its gas taxes in 2016, the line was targeted to receive funding for construction. Any possible advancement of the project is unlikely to take place until after 2025 according to the vice chairman of DRPA.[17]

When the environmental report was released in February 2021, it was announced that the South Jersey Transportation Authority would be contributing $200 million to the project.[8] This funding will cover preliminary engineering and design, project management, and professional services for the pre-construction phase of the light rail line.[18]

Route and stations

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The Glassboro–Camden Line is located within Camden County and Gloucester County.

Within Camden, it will follow a newly constructed viaduct south from the Walter Rand Transportation Center to South Camden. It would then utilize the Conrail-owned Vineland Secondary right-of-way (ROW) to Glassboro.

As of 2021, plans call for 14 stations: three in Camden; one each in Gloucester City and Westville; two in Woodbury, one each in Woodbury Heights, Mantua, Sewell, Mantua/Pitman, and Pitman; and two stations in Glassboro.[19] In a non-binding referendum, Wenonah citizens voted against allowing a station in town. The town council also passed such a resolution.[20] Other towns have expressed concern over the route through them.[21]

Municipality Station name[22] Location Notes
Camden Walter Rand Transportation Center Camden CBD PATCO Lindenwold Line (at Broadway station)
NJ Transit  NJ Transit: River Line (NJ Transit)  River Line
Lanning Square Cooper University Hospital
39°56′30″N 75°07′00″W / 39.9416°N 75.1167°W / 39.9416; -75.1167
South Camden South Camden
39°55′16″N 75°07′21″W / 39.921198°N 75.12243°W / 39.921198; -75.12243 		Park and ride
Gloucester City Gloucester City 39°53′38″N 75°07′09″W / 39.893925°N 75.119106°W / 39.893925; -75.119106 Park and ride
Westville Crown Point Road East of U.S. Route 130
39°52′10″N 75°07′46″W / 39.869360°N 75.129419°W / 39.869360; -75.129419 		Park and ride
Woodbury Red Bank Avenue 39°50′37″N 75°08′47″W / 39.843476°N 75.146432°W / 39.843476; -75.146432 Park and ride
Woodbury Cooper Street
39°50′11″N 75°08′59″W / 39.836416°N 75.149699°W / 39.836416; -75.149699 		Park and ride
Woodbury Heights Woodbury Heights Park and ride
Mantua Township Mantua 39°46′30″N 75°08′59″W / 39.775089°N 75.149759°W / 39.775089; -75.149759 Park and ride
Sewell Sewell
Mantua/Pitman Park and ride
Pitman Pitman
Glassboro North Glassboro Rowan University
39°42′37″N 75°07′28″W / 39.710215°N 75.124377°W / 39.710215; -75.124377
Glassboro 39°42′03″N 75°06′40″W / 39.7008°N 75.1112°W / 39.7008; -75.1112 Park and ride

Regional transit plans

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The Glassboro–Camden Line is part of a broader plan to expand a regional multimodal transportation network in Delaware Valley metro area including service across the Delaware River to Philadelphia.[23] Other elements of network would include additions and adjustments to PATCO Speedline and Atlantic City Line and the development of new system of bus rapid transit in New Jersey. The region is served by NJT buses 400–499.

The bus rapid transit component would be developed along the heavily traveled corridor comprising I-676, Route 42, and Route 55[24] The southern end of the system would be a newly constructed park and ride in Deptford on New Jersey Route 55 and an expanded one in Winslow Township with peak-hour buses running at 10–15 minute intervals.[25] Travelling northwest, the two lines would converge to pass through downtown Camden, where transfers would be possible for other components of the network, including at the Walter Rand Transportation Center.[26] They would then continue over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, equipped with reversible or contra-flow lanes to a point near Philadelphia City Hall.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Fact Sheet 2013" (PDF). Glassboro-Camden Line. DVPA & PATCO. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 19, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  2. ^ "NJ Transit Board Advances South Jersey Transportation Projects" (Press release). New Jersey Transit. December 9, 2009. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Baldwin, Zoe (May 22, 2009). "South Jersey Transit Improvements on Tap". Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  4. ^ Fitzgerald, Alison (June 2, 1995). "Lawmakers applaud rail-line extension plan". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  5. ^ Dooley, Tara; Dalan, Matthew (July 26, 1996). "NJ Transit Study Explores S. Jersey Rail-line Options. Burlco Officials Are Pleased With The Report. Gloucester County Residents Are Not". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014.
  6. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (May 23, 2013). "Big ifs loom over Camden-Glassboro rail plan". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  7. ^ Burns, P. Kenneth (December 20, 2021). "Where is the Glassboro-Camden Line? An update on a long-awaited South Jersey project". WHYY. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Comegno, Carol (February 26, 2021). "Glassboro-Camden light rail line proposal may pick up speed". Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  9. ^ "Proposed Glassboro-Camden light rail line enters preliminary design phase". PhillyVoice. October 31, 2022.
  10. ^ Fitzgerald, Thomas (November 2, 2022). "Long-sought Glassboro-Camden rail line took a step forward. Will it get built?". www.inquirer.com.
  11. ^ Walsh, Jim (October 31, 2022). "Proposed Glassboro-Camden light-rail line is one step closer to reality". Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  12. ^ Joseph P. Smith (November 8, 2023). "Smaller school boards? Sure. Light rail line? Not so fast. Voters have say on questions". Cherry Hill Courier-Post. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Duhart, Bill (August 12, 2024). "N.J. towns have wanted a light rail line for 2 decades. It just took a step forward". NJ.com. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  14. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (July 24, 2012). "NJ Transit receives $2.6 million for rapid-bus system". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  15. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (October 9, 2014). "Glassboro-Camden light-rail plan hits a snag". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  16. ^ Laday, Jason (February 16, 2015). "Glassboro-Camden light rail still on hold with 'no timeline' while officials debate transportation funding". South Jersey Times. Retrieved April 21, 2016 – via NJ.com.
  17. ^ Duhart, Bill (September 24, 2019). "Camden-Gloucester light rail line could start construction in 'a couple of years,' Sweeney says". NJ.com. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  18. ^ "Glassboro-Camden Line | A vital transportation link in South Jersey".
  19. ^ "Stations". Glassboro–Camden Line. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  20. ^ Polhamus, Andy (November 23, 2014). "Glassboro-Camden Line support mixed with project put on hold". NJ.com. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  21. ^ Duhart, Bill (January 18, 2021). "Light rail for South Jersey inches along but some neighbors don't want noisy train in their backyard". NJ.com. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "Glassboro Camden Line". www.glassborocamdenline.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  23. ^ Baldwin, Zoe (May 22, 2009). "South Jersey Transit Improvements on Tap". Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  24. ^ "Route 55,42,767 study area map" (PDF). Alternative Analysis. southjerseytransit.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  25. ^ a b Nussbaum, Paul (March 12, 2012). "NJ Transit eyes Philadelphia-South Jersey rapid-bus system". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  26. ^ "Alternatives Analysis". southjerseytransit.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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39°58′41″N 75°03′44″W / 39.9781°N 75.0623°W / 39.9781; -75.0623

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