Post by Marc LeVine on Sept 18, 2006 10:03:54 GMT -5
Question new figures for MOM ridership
Area officials say ridership figures released Wednesday for the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex County rail line should be taken with a grain of salt.
The Board of Chosen Freeholders of both Ocean and Monmouth counties paid to have AECOM Consult, an affiliate of DMJM Harris, to study the travel demand for the MOM line. AECOM is a firm that performs technical, financial and policy analyses to support transportation programs across the country, according to its Web site.
According to figures released by Monmouth County, the new report shows that a rail line running from Lakehurst to Monmouth Junction would average 40,700 riders a weekday, 31,700 more than the 9,000 riders that were estimated in a study conducted by NJ Transit in 2005.
A portion of the report was released this week. The full report should be released in October, Monmouth County officials said.
Officials say the report is tainted because it was commissioned by the same people who want the line built.
"In my opinion, there is no validity in this report that Monmouth County has put out," Jamesburg Councilman Otto Kostbar said.
Officials in Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick oppose the option because it would not serve their residents, cost too much, would disrupt the lives of thousands and could pose dangers to pedestrians.
NJ Transit has been looking at running a high-speed rail line from Lakehurst to New York for more than a decade. There are three options for the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex Rail line.
According to a 2005 study, the Monmouth Junction option, which would cost $860 million to construct and $49 million to operate, would run through Freehold, Manalapan, Englishtown, Monroe and Jamesburg and end in Monmouth Junction. It would be 40 miles long and would service 44 daily diesel trains that would travel at an average of 38.3 mph. It also could accommodate eight new rail stations. According to a study issued to Monmouth and Ocean County officials in April 2005, it would take a rider about 1 hour and 50 minutes to travel 71.7 miles from Lakehurst to Newark Penn Station.
The Lakehurst-to-Red Bank option would cost $600 million to construct and $42 million to operate and would run north from Lakewood and connect with the North Jersey Coast line in Red Bank. It is 29 miles long and would service 44 daily diesel trains that would travel an average of 37.4 mph. It would accommodate six new train stations. According to the study it would take riders 1 hour and 37 minutes to travel 62.2 miles from Lakehurst to Newark Penn Station.
The Lakehurst-to-Matawan option, which would cost $730 million to build and $45 million to operate, would run west to Freehold Borough and then north to Matawan, where it would connect with the North Jersey Coast line. It would be 36 miles long and would service 44 daily diesel trains traveling at an average of 35.5 mph. It would accommodate seven new train stations. According to the study, it would take riders 1 hour and 35 minutes to travel 58.7 miles to travel from Lakehurst to Newark Penn Station.
According to the new figures, 22,200 people would use the Matawan option, 11,300 more than the 10,900 estimated in NJ Transit's 2005 study. It also says 12,000 people would use the Red Bank option, 4,100 more than the 7,900 riders estimated in last year's NJ Transit study.
South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese says he's not surprised that what the study says is the best line is one that doesn't run through Monmouth or Ocean counties.
"Monmouth and Ocean counties paid for a study to see what the best line is going to be, and gee it's the Monmouth Junction option that's surprising," Mayor Gambatese said sarcastically.
Monroe officials agree.
"If you pay for a study, you can make it come out anyway you want," Monroe Councilman Irwin Nalitt said.
Assemblyman Bill Baroni, a Republican whose district includes Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick, said that he wants to know how the AECOM came up with the figures.
Monroe Mayor Richard Pucci said that the township would continue to stand against having the rail line come through the township.
"As far as we're concerned we are unchanged on our position against this rail line," Mayor Pucci said.
Jamesburg Mayor Tony LaMantia said that if Monmouth and Ocean counties want the rail line they should keep it in their counties.
"We've been arguing the same point for I don't know long now," Mayor LaMantia said. "These people, I don't know where they get the nerve to say its going to benefit our town. I find that insulting that they're telling our town what's good for us when they don't even know our town."
Area officials say ridership figures released Wednesday for the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex County rail line should be taken with a grain of salt.
The Board of Chosen Freeholders of both Ocean and Monmouth counties paid to have AECOM Consult, an affiliate of DMJM Harris, to study the travel demand for the MOM line. AECOM is a firm that performs technical, financial and policy analyses to support transportation programs across the country, according to its Web site.
According to figures released by Monmouth County, the new report shows that a rail line running from Lakehurst to Monmouth Junction would average 40,700 riders a weekday, 31,700 more than the 9,000 riders that were estimated in a study conducted by NJ Transit in 2005.
A portion of the report was released this week. The full report should be released in October, Monmouth County officials said.
Officials say the report is tainted because it was commissioned by the same people who want the line built.
"In my opinion, there is no validity in this report that Monmouth County has put out," Jamesburg Councilman Otto Kostbar said.
Officials in Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick oppose the option because it would not serve their residents, cost too much, would disrupt the lives of thousands and could pose dangers to pedestrians.
NJ Transit has been looking at running a high-speed rail line from Lakehurst to New York for more than a decade. There are three options for the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex Rail line.
According to a 2005 study, the Monmouth Junction option, which would cost $860 million to construct and $49 million to operate, would run through Freehold, Manalapan, Englishtown, Monroe and Jamesburg and end in Monmouth Junction. It would be 40 miles long and would service 44 daily diesel trains that would travel at an average of 38.3 mph. It also could accommodate eight new rail stations. According to a study issued to Monmouth and Ocean County officials in April 2005, it would take a rider about 1 hour and 50 minutes to travel 71.7 miles from Lakehurst to Newark Penn Station.
The Lakehurst-to-Red Bank option would cost $600 million to construct and $42 million to operate and would run north from Lakewood and connect with the North Jersey Coast line in Red Bank. It is 29 miles long and would service 44 daily diesel trains that would travel an average of 37.4 mph. It would accommodate six new train stations. According to the study it would take riders 1 hour and 37 minutes to travel 62.2 miles from Lakehurst to Newark Penn Station.
The Lakehurst-to-Matawan option, which would cost $730 million to build and $45 million to operate, would run west to Freehold Borough and then north to Matawan, where it would connect with the North Jersey Coast line. It would be 36 miles long and would service 44 daily diesel trains traveling at an average of 35.5 mph. It would accommodate seven new train stations. According to the study, it would take riders 1 hour and 35 minutes to travel 58.7 miles to travel from Lakehurst to Newark Penn Station.
According to the new figures, 22,200 people would use the Matawan option, 11,300 more than the 10,900 estimated in NJ Transit's 2005 study. It also says 12,000 people would use the Red Bank option, 4,100 more than the 7,900 riders estimated in last year's NJ Transit study.
South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese says he's not surprised that what the study says is the best line is one that doesn't run through Monmouth or Ocean counties.
"Monmouth and Ocean counties paid for a study to see what the best line is going to be, and gee it's the Monmouth Junction option that's surprising," Mayor Gambatese said sarcastically.
Monroe officials agree.
"If you pay for a study, you can make it come out anyway you want," Monroe Councilman Irwin Nalitt said.
Assemblyman Bill Baroni, a Republican whose district includes Jamesburg, Monroe and South Brunswick, said that he wants to know how the AECOM came up with the figures.
Monroe Mayor Richard Pucci said that the township would continue to stand against having the rail line come through the township.
"As far as we're concerned we are unchanged on our position against this rail line," Mayor Pucci said.
Jamesburg Mayor Tony LaMantia said that if Monmouth and Ocean counties want the rail line they should keep it in their counties.
"We've been arguing the same point for I don't know long now," Mayor LaMantia said. "These people, I don't know where they get the nerve to say its going to benefit our town. I find that insulting that they're telling our town what's good for us when they don't even know our town."
