1309-41: NORTHEAST CORRIDOR MID-LINE LOOP PROJECT: CONTRACT AWARD FOR DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND OTHER TECHNICAL SERVICES
The Mid-Line Loop Project Study investigated feasible options to improve NJ TRANSIT commuter rail service within the middle zone of the Northeast Corridor (NEC). Specifically, the Study evaluated options to eliminate the at-grade crossing conflict that exists on the Northeast Corridor in the vicinity of Mile Post (MP) 32 at the Jersey Avenue Station/County Yard facility. Currently, NJ TRANSIT trains traveling eastbound toward New York from the Jersey Avenue Station and/or County Yard must cross Northeast Corridor Tracks 4, 3 and 2 at-grade to access eastbound Track 1. A grade-separated Mid-Line Loop track would allow trains from the eastbound track at Jersey Avenue (and the associated County Yard) to reach the inbound side of the Northeast Corridor (towards Newark/New York) without interfering with train movements on express tracks in either direction. Elimination of this at-grade conflict would facilitate increased rail service along the Northeast Corridor and allow for future Amtrak track expansion/upgrades along the Northeast Corridor. The “at-grade” crossing currently limits the number of trains that NJ TRANSIT would be able to operate to meet the future ridership growth on the Northeast Corridor (horizon year of 2030).
The grade-separated Mid-Line Loop Project addresses the following needs:
• Improve Northeast Corridor capacity (number of train slots) by eliminating the at-grade train movements across the Northeast Corridor at MP 32.− Provision of a grade separated loop track at Northeast Corridor MP 37 to MP 38 would eliminate the need for at-grade train movements and provide additional Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT train capacity along the Northeast Corridor.
• Maximize operational efficiency and reliability.− A grade-separated Mid-Line loop track would enable NJ TRANSIT to expand train service from Jersey Avenue/County Yard without interfering with Northeast Corridor train movements.
• Minimize travel time, by permitting speeds as high as “reasonably” possible within the limits of the grade-separation project.− Provide a grade-separated Mid-Line loop track as close as possible to Jersey Avenue/County Yard and along an alignment that offers the most efficient train operating speeds and travel times for both revenue service and non-revenue service trains.
• Minimize property takings.− Provide a grade-separated Mid-Line loop track alignment that minimizes property impacts and required residential and business relocations.
• Minimize environmental impacts.− Provide a grade-separated Mid-Line loop track alignment that minimizes environmental impacts.
• Minimize community impacts.− Provide a grade-separated Mid-Line loop track alignment that minimizes disruption to local communities and development.
• Reduce operating costs.− Provide a grade-separated Mid-Line loop track as close as possible to Jersey Avenue/County Yard to offer increased capabilities for storing and turning trains at County Yard versus dead-heading non-revenue service trains to Morrisville Yard and/or Sunnyside Yard. The ability to turn trains via the Mid-Line loop track versus requiring trains to travel to Morrisville Yard would result in significant financial savings to NJ TRANSIT.
Additionally, commuter parking facilities and a new train station are the subject of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with North Brunswick TOD Associates, LLC, the designated re-developer of the former Johnson & Johnson property in North Brunswick, known as 2300 Route 1. When the project is completed at 2300 Route 1, there will be 300,000 square feet of freestanding large retail establishments, 450,000 square feet of mixed-use retail and commercial space, 50,000 square feet of freestanding commercial space, 195,000 square feet of office space, a 250,000-square-foot hotel, and 1,875 residential units, for a total of 1.25 million square feet of development on the property. Phase I of the NJ TRANSIT station project will include a maximum of 1,300 surface parking spaces while Phase II will include the construction of one or more parking structures, with a maximum of 3,500 parking spaces.
Authorization is requested to enter into NJ TRANSIT Contract No. 13-022 with HNTB of New York, New York, to provide Phase I consulting services, including preliminary engineering, and other technical services for the Northeast Corridor Mid-Line loop project at a cost not to exceed $12,500,600, plus five percent for contingencies, subject to the availability of funds.
