Amtrak and New Jersey Transit will soon undergo significant improvements. On Thursday, Democratic Representative Frank Pallone announced that the federal government would provide $112 million to the transit agencies.
The financing follows a number of problems, such as cancellations and delays, with Amtrak and NJ Transit. Improvements in central and northern New Jersey will receive a significant amount of that federal funds, according to officials.
“This is a 90-year-old system. I don’t think it’s going to last too long unless they replace it. So I’m just happy were getting the grants to do that,” Pallone stated.
For everyday travelers, the congressman claims that the improvements will increase dependability, speed up trains, and lessen service interruptions.
$80 million will be used to upgrade the Kearny substation, $13.4 million will be used to upgrade the electrical system along a 23-mile stretch in North Jersey, and $18.6 million will be used to upgrade the signal systems between New Brunswick and Elizabeth, according to officials.
Pallone asserts that these are replacements rather than merely fixes.
“You have to replace the system and that’s why the grants we’re announcing today are so important,” he stated. “This would replace the system in this area between New Brunswick or North Brunswick and Newark.”
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Pallone estimates it will take several years to finish those replacements. He claims that major delays have already been avoided thanks to the fixes Amtrak has already started working on.
