N.J. train station groundbreaking scheduled

Construction on a new train station in Pennsauken to connect two of South Jersey's primary passenger rail lines, the Philadelphia-Atlantic City line and the River Line between Camden and Trenton, is set to begin on Monday, October 19. The $40 million Pennsauken Transit Center is located on Derousse Avenue, where the Atlantic City line passes over the River Line and is begin funded with money from the federal stimulus program. It is expected to open by late 2012. Once completed, riders will be able to board either the north-south River Line or the east-west Atlantic City line and to transfer between the two lines. The station also will be served by NJ Transit buses and is expected to draw about 570 round-trip customers per weekday. Two 300-foot-long platforms will be built on either side of the Atlantic City line tracks, with stairs and two elevators to provide access to the River Line below. The work is to be done in two phases. A $2.1 million contract covers River Line elements of the project, including a 200-foot platform with a 60-foot canopy. The second-phase contract has not been awarded and will include the Atlantic City line platforms, a 280-space parking lot, ticket-vending machines, passenger communication equipment and resurfacing, curbing and lighting improvements to Derousse Avenue.