Train Station Improvement Grant Awarded To Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Morristown Train Station may see improvements in 2023, according to Governor Murphy's office, because it is expected to receive $86,000 from a Transit Village Program Grant.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced that an increase in state budget funding will allow 45 New Jersey towns and cities to receive $25 million in grants this year to fund local pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements.

The grants are from three different programs: $13.4 million to improve access to transit facilities and public transportation, $8.4 million to promote biking, and $2.9 million to transform areas around transit facilities into mixed-use neighborhoods.

The Division of Local Aid and Economic Development's Transit Village Grant program has awarded grants to New Jersey municipalities designated as Transit Villages for non-traditional transportation-related projects.

Morristown is among the group of municipalities across the state that were chosen to receive critical funding to expand access to local transportation and improve the areas around those public facilities.

"Coming at a critical time of rising traffic fatalities and serious injuries across our state this significant increase in funding will help ensure better access to public transit for vulnerable road users and create more walkable and bikeable roads,” said Debra Kagan, Executive Director of the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition.

Approximately $1.6 million of the total funds will be allocated to improving access to transit facilities and public transportation throughout Morris County, according to Senator Anthony M. Bucco.

“These grants represent a return on taxpayers’ investment and will help make the train stations and roadways of Netcong, Morristown, and Dover safer and more enjoyable for residents and commuters alike,” Bucco said.

According to the Morristown Council, the grant money will be used to fund the second phase of the train station redevelopment plan. One of the main projects that the town will be overseeing is adding additional lighting to the train trestle.

"It's very, very dark at night. It's another not safe intersection, particularly at night you can't really see people," Council member Iannaccone said.

Town Administrator Jillian Barrick told the council that the town had previously spent money to add light fixtures to the railroad trestle's, but that due to the placement of the lights, water from the train has eroded them down to where they are now.

"What we would like to do is to replace them with freestanding fixtures, and now that the sidewalk is wider there is more room to put freestanding fixtures that won't have that same corrosive effect," Barrick said.