CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Safety emerged as a top concern as New Jersey Transit discovered what riders want in the $250 million makeover of Camden’s Walter Rand Transportation Center.
“We are looking to improve passenger flow not only between bus transfers but also between PATCO, as well as the River Line,” said Barbara Lazzaro, NJ Transit’s senior director of government and community relations.
At an online public information session Monday, riders were asked what should be NJ Transit’s priorities in designing the new center.
“You can see public safety ranks highest, closely followed by improved appearance and modern facility,” said Stephen Dilts of the engineering firm HNTB as he announced the results of an instant poll during the forum.
The poll showed that 70% of respondents listed a public safety presence as a priority, 64% wanted a modern facility and 60% preferred better access to transit services. Respondents were allowed to select more than one option.
When asked about the amenity people would most like to see, 76% wanted improved lighting and 68% wanted a public safety office included in the design.
Related
The Rand Transportation Center on Broadway in Camden was built in 1989. It serves 26 bus routes, the River Line and PATCO.
NJ Transit officials did not offer a firm timeline for the project, which is still in the design phase, and say the start of construction is several years away.
Whenever work begins, Lazzaro said NJ Transit’s goal is not to disrupt service.
“We do anticipate keeping a full level of service during construction,” she said. “We haven’t quite figured out how we’re going to do that – that’s going to be a very important objective moving forward.”