Vote on Montclair Connection Postponed

The board of NJ Transit postponed a final decision on the Montclair Connection project at its Oct. 25 meeting, instead introducing a new "cut and cover" design which would put the quarter-mile rail link in a covered trench. The project is designed to allow some Boonton lines trains direct

access to Penn Station in Manhattan (the line presently terminates in Hoboken). The option would reduce the amount of property required for the project, reduce noise and eliminate the need for new grade crossings. A proposal for more extensive electrification of the line than originally proposed -

- which would enable even more riders to reach Manhattan without transfers -- was also put on the table. Definitive cost estimates for the proposed alternatives appeared to be elusive. At the meeting, residents spoke for and against the project, with both sides using economic rationales as support

for their positions. The next NJ Transit board meeting is November 29. (Montclair Times)