SOUTH JERSEY BOONDOGGLE UPDATE New Jersey Transit is planning to start testing of its new diesel LRT cars for the Southern New Jersey Light Rail Transit system, which will run between Camden and Trenton. The SNJLRT has come under justified criticism from the McGreevey Administration for a lack of planning and for the massive cost overruns, which will bring the tab for the project to nearly $1 billion. Perhaps "Fearless Leader" and her cronies at 1234 Market may want to pay attention to the fiasco in South Jersey to avoid the same mistakes with Schuylkill Valley and Cross County. The project - boondoggle as it may be, no matter how well intentioned the concept of expanded rail transit in South Jersey may be - was concieved originally as a system connecting Mount Holly, Camden, and Glassboro before vocal NIMBY opposition forced NJT to choose the Trenton-Camden corridor. (PLUG ALERT: If you want more details on the entire SNJLRT fiasco, you may want to become a DVARP member; in this month's newsletter, there is a well written piece on the entire SNJLRT history.)

NEW NJT PARK & RIDE LOTS SNJLRT notwithstanding, NJ Transit also announced plans at its November Board Meeting to expand the Washington Twp Park & Ride lot at Cross Keys and Fries Mill Rds (I believe this is also known as Avandale) by adding 300 new spaces and to build two new P&R lots in South Jersey: One would be located in Willingboro, the second at a yet to be determined location in Cumberland County, probably in the Vineland or Millville areas.