WESMONT TRAIN STATION TO OPEN ON MAY 15
Project Creates Transit-friendly, Mixed Use Neighborhood
For Immediate Release: may 11, 2016
NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT will officially open the state’s newest station, Wesmont Train Station, on Sunday, May 15. Located in Wood-Ridge, N.J., on the Bergen County Line, Wesmont is part of a new transit-oriented development and is the result of a public/private partnership between NJ TRANSIT and Somerset Development.
Wesmont is within walking distance for local residents and will be ADA compliant with a high-level, center-island platform design for easy boarding and deboarding, and elevators and a pedestrian overpass to reach the platform. Customers can access Bergen County Line trains for convenient service to Hoboken Terminal and Penn Station New York and Newark Penn Station (via Secaucus Junction), where connections can be made with NJ TRANSIT’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail as well as NY Waterway ferry and PATH service.
Both NJ TRANSIT and Somerset Development shared in the cost for design and construction of the project located on the site of the former Curtiss-Wright industrial plant. The project cost just under $18 million, with NJ TRANSIT’s portion of the bill totaling $6 million.
“This project is a prime example of how a public agency and a private developer can work together to invest in our transportation system for the benefit of neighboring communities,” said Interim Executive Director Dennis Martin. “This new station will be primed to provide easy connections for nearby residents to get anywhere in the tri-state region and beyond.’’
"At Wesmont Station, we set out to transform an underserved portion of Wood-Ridge into a vibrant and walkable, transit-oriented community, and the opening of this station represents the realization of our vision," said Ralph Zucker, President of Somerset Development. "We're extremely proud to officially open Wesmont Train Station alongside NJ TRANSIT."
A one-way train fare ticket from Wesmont to New York City will cost $6.75, with monthly passes costing $184. A one-way train fare ticket to Hoboken will cost $5, with monthly passes costing $145.
Amenities at Wesmont include bicycle racks and ticket vending machines. A temporary parking lot that can accommodate approximately two dozen parking spaces is in place with a larger, permanent parking lot accommodating approximately 215 parking spaces is planned for the future. The temporary parking will be by permit only, costing $120 per quarter.
Wesmont is located at the end of Highland Avenue and Johnson Drive, adjacent to the new residential and commercial development that is currently under construction in Wood-Ridge.
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 938,500 weekday trips on 257 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.