LOTS OF RIVER LINE NEWS

A few items relating to the opening of the South Jersey LRT system known as the River Line (all from the Burlington County Times):

• Burlington County Freeholders are sponsoring a program that would feature "animal" sculptures to be located at the 9 stations within the county. Freeholders anticipate that the sculptures would be funded by outside sources (corporate sponsorships) to build these works of art and ultimately be auctioned off to raise funds for the Burlington County arts community. Excuse me if I think this is just a wee bit silly...
  
  
• The Burlington County sponsored Bur-Link shuttle service saw three new routes introduced last week. The three new routes are:
  
  
  • B6: Burlington Towne Center station to shopping centers along CR 541 in Burlington Township
    
  • B7: Burlington Center Mall to Willingboro Town Center via CR 541, with a connection to Edgewater Park/Beverly station via the B4 shuttle bus
    
  • B8: Riverside station to shopping centers in Delran via US 130


The BurLink system will expand further later in the year with three proposed new services:


• B5: Florence Park/Ride to Haines Industrial Park, scheduled to start when the River Line begins service next month
  
• Proposed service between Palmyra station to Eastgate and Moorestown Mall, to be started later this year
  
• Proposed service between Cinnaminson station to US 130 and Taylor Lane Industrial Park, also to start later this year


The new services are in addition to existing services between Pemberton and Mount Holly (B1), Willingboro and Mount Holly (B2), and the BC Xpress serving Burlington County College (B3).


• NJ Transit is planning a promotional blitz to introduce passengers to the new River Line when is starts service on February 15.

NEWARK STATION UPDATE

The Wilmington News Journal reports that the City of Newark and WILMAPCO are in the discussion stages with plans to move the Newark Rail Station from its current location near the Chrysler plant to a more convenient downtown location. The site would also serve as a potential turn point for future rail service between Wilmington and Dover. WILMAPCO also took comments on a plan by DART First State to move its operations center to a newer location within Wilmington.