Mayors Urge Union County Rail Commuters To Speak Up

WESTFIELD, NJ - The Raritan Valley Line Mayors' Alliance is advocating for one-seat ride on the RVL during peak hours and weekends and they need the public's help to make it a reality.

"I am very aware of how insufferable the commute has become, and its impact on the quality of life for so many of our residents," Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle said. "I will continue to work with our state legislators to hold NJT accountable and advocate for our commuters and will continue to keep you posted on our progress."

Each weekday some 23,000 riders use the Raritan Valley Line and more are anticipated as development continues in the four counties along the line. The RVL Mayors' Alliance was created to advocate for what they call equitable treatments for the line's users. Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr serves as co-chair of the alliance, along with Brindle.

One-seat ride would allow Raritan Valley line commuters destined for Midtown Manhattan to stay in one seat their entire trip. Currently, they must exit their diesel powered train at Newark Penn Station and change to another train operating on the Northeast Corridor, often on a separate platform and requiring two level changes, to take them into Midtown's Penn Station New York.

Tuesday afternoon, the RVL Mayors’ Alliance hosted a rally in Newark Penn Station that Brindle attended.

"This rally was another means of empowering frustrated commuters with a collective voice to send a message to NJ Transit that we want our off peak direct service restored now, and we deserve our fair share of peak one seat ride trains in the next year," she said.

Brindle was joined by Westfield Councilwoman Dawn Mackey who explained why they were fed up.

Senator Tom Kean joined them in their train out of Westfield.

While the efforts of the officials continue, the 32 mayors that comprise the alliance are calling upon citizen action to hammer the point home. They say commuters can make a difference by contacting local representatives to have their voices heard. To that end, they've provided a sample script to use:

"Hello, my name is__________ and I'm a constituent from __________, New Jersey. I am asking you to support the efforts of the Raritan Valley Line Mayors Alliance to get a one-seat ride on the RVL during peak hours and weekends. In addition, we need NJ Transit to make a commitment to put the off-peak direct trains back into service and provide a date. These trains, taken off line last year for installation of the Positive Train Control, were due to resume in January and yet no date has been announced.

Although the RVL is one of the fastest growing NJ Transit train lines, one-seat ride allocation has not changed to accommodate the significant increase in ridership. If we don’t act now, the long term economic viability of all the towns on the line are at risk. I strongly urge you to direct NJ Transit to conduct a feasibility study of a one-seat ride on the RVL. Thank you for all your hard work."

With the script, they have included a list of officials to contact:

Governor Phil Murphy
The State House
P.O. Box 001
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Phone: 609-292-6000

Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver
101 South Broad Street
PO Box 800
Trenton, NJ 08625-080
Phone: 609-292-6420

Senator Cory Booker
359 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3224

Senator Robert Menendez
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-4744

Congressional District 7
Congressman Tom Malinowski
426 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-5361

Congressional District 12
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman
2442 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-5801

Kevin Corbett
Executive Director
NJ Transit Corporation
1 Penn Plaza East,
Newark, New Jersey 07105
Email: Kcorbett@njtransit.com

Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti
New Jersey Department of Transportation
One Newark Center, 17th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: 973-639-8400
Email: njtpa@njtpa.org

Contact New Jersey State Representatives

District 16
Senator Christopher Batemen (R)
Office: 36 East Main Street
Somerville, NJ 08876
Phone: 908-526-3600
Email: senbateman@njleg.org

Assemblyman Roy Frieman (D)
Office: 390 Amwell Road, Suite 301
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
Phone: 908-829-4191

Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker (D)
Office: 1 Deer Park Drive, Suite D-1
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
Phone: 732-823-1684

District 17
Senator Bob Smith (D)
Office: 216 Stelton Road, Suite E-5
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Phone: 732-752-0770
Email: senbsmith@njleg.org

Assemblyman Joe Danielson (D)
Office: 334 Elizabeth Avenue
Somerset, NJ 08873
Phone: 732-247-3999

Assemblyman Joseph V. Egan (D)
Office: 100 Bayard Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 732-249-4550

District 18
Senator Patrick J. Diegman, Jr. (D)
Office: 908 Oak Tree Avenue, Unit P
South Plainfield, NJ 07080
Phone: 908-757-1677
Email: sendiegnan@njleg.org

Assemblyman Robert J. Karabinchak (D)
Office: 3 Stephenville Parkwy, Suite 2D
Edison, NJ 08820
Phone: 732-548-1406

Assemblywoman Nancy J. Pinkin (D)
Office: 3 Stephenville Parkwy, Suite 2D
Edison, NJ 08820
Phone:732-548-1406

District 20
Senator Joseph P. Cryan (D)
Office: 985 Stuyvesant Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 908-624-0880
Email: sencryan@nkleg.org

Assemblyman Jamel C. Holley (D)
Office: 985 Stuyvesant Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 908-624-0880
Email: senholley@njleg.org

Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D)
Office: 985 Stuyvesant Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 908-624-0880

District 21
Senator Thomas H Kean, Jr. (R)
Office: 425 North Ave. E, Suite C.
Westfield, NJ 07090
Phone: 908-232-3673
Email: senkean@njleg.org

Assemblyman Jon M. Bramnick (R)
Office: 251 North Ave. W, 2nd Fl
Westfield, NJ 07090
Phone: 908-232-2073

Assemblywoman Nancy F. Munoz
Office: 425 North Ave. E, Suite C.
Westfield, NJ 07090
Phone: 908-232-3673

District 22
Senator Nicholas P. Scutari (D)
Office:1514 E. St Georges Ave., 2nd Fl
Linden, NJ 07036
Phone: 908-587-0404
Email: senscutari@njleg.org

Assemblywoman Linda S. Carter
Office: 200 West 2nd St., Suite 102
Plainfield, NJ 07060
Phone: 908-561-5757

Assemblyman James J. Kennedy
Office: 34 E. Cherry Street
Rahway, NJ 07065
Phone: 732-943-2660

District 23
Senator Michael J. Doherty (R)
Office: 127 Belvidere Ave., 2nd Floor
Washington, NJ 07882
Phone: 908-835-0552
Email: sendoherty@njleg.org

Assemblyman John Dimaio (R)
Office: 245 Route 22, Suite 208 Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Phone: 908-722-1365

Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R)
Office: 28 Center street
Clinton, NJ 08809
Phone: 908-238-0251

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