Rapid transit between New Jersey and Philadelphia

25 June 2012 - A proposed bus "rapid-transit" route designed to reduce traffic and ease commutes on the heavily travelled South Jersey corridor was approved this month by the New Jersey (NJ) Transit board.

The NJ Transit rapid-bus system between South Jersey and Philadelphia would allow rush-hour buses to travel on highway shoulder lanes and medians for part of the trip and would provide 1,800 new parking spaces for commuters in designated park and ride areas.

The system would be in addition to a proposed light-rail line that has been proposed for the congested state. An estimated 6,400 riders would use the rapid-bus route daily by 2035, according to NJ Transit projections. It would cost from $5 million to $10 million a year to operate, planners said.

The rapid-bus system would allow buses to travel in dedicated lanes, with traffic-signal priority, to speed the commute to Philadelphia. Stops along the way would have train-style shelters with ticket machines and real-time information about bus arrivals.

NJ Transit has examined alternative routes for a rapid South Jersey-to-Philadelphia bus system for several years, and finally approved "Alternative No. 6," providing for a 23-mile main line to the city from Avandale in Winslow Township.

If approved and funded, the bus service could be in full operation by 2020, said R.J. Palladino, NJ Transit's assistant director for strategic investment. Some parts of the project could be phased in earlier, he said, with construction beginning in about two and a half years.

Find out more about the BRT plans