The main transportation topic in western Morris County these days is I-80’s closure on account of a number of sinkholes that have developed along the route. NJ Transit is offering half-fare round trips for riders on Morris & Essex and Montclair-Boonton Line trains west of Dover to encourage motorists to take the train, and the agency reports that ridership on that part of the railroad has increased.
The agency announced the half-fare offer in a March 22 press release that said, “NJ Transit is offering a 50% discount on round-trip travel for those affected by the ongoing emergency repair work on I-80. The 50% discount offer will remain in effect for the duration of the repairs and aims to provide an alternative travel option while alleviating congestion in the impacted area.” The agency quoted CEO Kris Kolluri as saying, “We encourage those impacted by the I-80 repair work to take advantage of this offer. We are pleased to offer NJ TRANSIT rail service as an alternative, allowing commuters to avoid delays, reducing congestion by taking cars off the road, and giving riders an opportunity to enjoy a more productive or relaxing trip – leaving the driving to us.”
The program began on Monday, March 24, and affects stations west of Dover: Mount Arlington, Lake Hopatcong (historically known as “Landing”), Netcong, the International Trade Center station at Mount Olive, and Hackettstown. Customers boarding Hoboken-bound trains at those stations are not required to pay a fare and are given a transfer ticket to get to New York Penn Station, if that is their final destination, as Midtown Direct service from New York does not run west of Dover. Those riders are required to pay the regular fare for the return portion of their trip, which results in a round trip for a one-way fare while highway construction continues.
The agency did not add any trains to the existing schedule, which offers limited service. Boonton Line trains run toward Hoboken only during the morning peak-commuting period, and return in the late afternoon and early evening. Trains on the Morris & Essex Line through Morristown offer a broader span of service, which includes trains in both directions during peak commuting hours and a single midday round trip on weekdays. Service on weekends and at other times on weekdays does not go west of Dover.
According to the agency, ridership has increased on the affected part of the line. In one instance, this writer counted 44 passengers going to stations west of Dover on Thursday, April 17 on Train 1079, which left Hoboken at 4:32 p.m., going to Hackettstown.
According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), the first sinkhole appeared on December 24, and several more have developed since then. An April 1 statement issued by NJDOT said, “There will be two separate crews working concurrently . . . to expedite repairs. Crews will continue working 24 hours a day until repairs are completed and the highway reopened.” At that time, the department expected repairs to be completed in mid-May or shortly thereafter. Some local residents and other highway users remained skeptical about that date, andas this issue of the Railgram goes to press, a delay has been announced. Historically, there was considerable mining activity in the area, including iron mines that Thomas Edison owned and operated. Speculation persists that more sinkholes will appear.
In the meantime, Das Creamery in Budd Lake has introduced the “Sinkhole Sundae” that includes chocolate crunchies on the top and bottom with vanilla ice cream in between, to be eaten with a miniature shovel in lieu of a spoon. Also in the meantime, riders west of Dover will be able to take round trips for half fare – if they can adhere to the limited service schedule.
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