No Thanks, We're Doing Fine, Says NJT of Its Atlantic City Rail Line
By Mike DeNardo
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey Transit is choosing "none of the above" from a menu of options to increase ridership on its Atlantic City rail line.
A study commissioned in 2009 but delayed by Hurricane Sandy outlines six different scenarios by which NJT could attract more riders to its Philadelphia-to-Atlantic City rail line. They include adding more frequent service and building stations in Woodcrest and at the Atlantic City Airport.
But NJT spokesman William Smith says the agency currently has no plans to act on any of the proposals.
The study, by LTK Engineering Services, says ridership could increase from about 3,500 per day to nearly 11,000 with hourly service and the extra rail stations. But the study says that would cost $145 million and then $33 million per year to operate.
Currently the rail line runs 12 trains a day, with wait times of more than 2½ hours between midday trains.