The walk from one end of campus to the other keeps getting longer as the University continues to expand. Public transportation to and from campus is decentralized, with buses leaving from Palmer Square, Nassau Street and the Dinky station. Campus shuttles run inconsistently and inconveniently.
But all those things are on the verge of change.
New Jersey Transit is currently developing a Bus Rapid Transit system that will stop at the Dinky station and Princeton Junction, among other locations. Within a decade, it will form part of a larger transportation network that may extend as far as Trenton and certain parts of Pennsylvania.
A second system, the Borough Jitney, is a joint venture between the Borough and NJ Transit which will travel throughout the Borough.
The University, for its part, is redesigning the campus shuttle system, with a scheduled launch date in fall 2008. Interim changes are already in place.
The Dinky station will be moved 460 feet farther south, allowing all these modes of public transportation to be unified in the planned arts and transportation neighborhood in the southwest corner of campus.
On campus
The campus shuttle system is in the process of being completely overhauled and will be renamed the "Tiger Transit" system. By next fall, renovated vehicles will operate along new routes covering a broader section of campus.
In mapping the new routes, the University aims to better accommodate passenger requirements and to avoid traveling through off-campus residential neighborhoods, traversing main thoroughfares rather than local streets, General Manager for University Services Paul Breitman said.
The main shuttle line will run in a continual loop around the main part of campus: along Nassau Street, passing by the E-Quad along Olden Street, down Prospect Avenue, Washington Road, near the southern entrance to campus, before heading up Alexander Road and University Place back to Nassau Street. The old route used the smaller William Street a block south of Nassau, but local residents complained about the disturbance caused by the buses.
The shift to Nassau Street "makes sense," Breitman said, because the U-Store and Labyrinth Books are opening there next month.
The three other lines will serve the west, center and east of campus.
Permanent shuttle routes will not be finalized until the University approaches the major commercial bus companies and receives proposals.
The University wants the new vehicles to be compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), have low carbon emissions and include a notification system to send bus statuses to riders via the internet, cell phones and updated message boards at stops.
NJ Transit in Princeton
A Bus Rapid Transit system, which has been under development by NJ Transit for several years, will increase flexibility for commuters wishing to connect to trains traveling along the Northeast Corridor.
The combination of the bus and the Dinky will ensure that more trains are accessible at Princeton Junction and reduce waiting time for passengers traveling between the Junction and Princeton.
"The Dinky provides an express service," said Jack Kanarek, NJ Transit's senior director for project development.
The Dinky, however, "has its limits because it is one car and one track. This limits the frequency of service that can be provided," Kanarek said.
Bus Rapid Transit, on the other hand, would have intermediate stops between Princeton and Princeton Junction.
Besides complementing the Dinky, the new bus system could potentially extend to Trenton, Lawrence, West Windsor and West Brunswick among other destinations.
The Bus Rapid Transit will "become part of a larger network that would take you beyond the train station," Bob Durkee '69, University vice president and secretary, said. Local stops might include the Princeton Shopping Center, Palmer Square and "other places in the community nearer to [one's] home and destination."
But the new transit system's leap from idea to reality may be a ways off.
Funding for the program has not yet been determined, though NJ Transit has "been letting everyone know that we're very interested in getting assistance for the project," Kanarek said, adding that "right now in New Jersey there are severe capital constraints."
"I'm not sure how realistic it is to look at Bus Rapid Transit as a project that is imminent," Borough councilman Andrew Koontz said, citing the lack of funding and other projects currently under development by NJ Transit, such as a third tunnel to New York.
As NJ Transit continues to develop its plan for the coordinated BRT and Dinky service, the University will work with the Borough and Princeton Township to address local community concerns.
Durkee confirmed that there have been a number of discussions among the involved parties and that the community's master plan "is fully consistent with our own campus planning project. We don't have a situation in which the community is looking for one thing and we are looking for something very different."
Certain community members, however, continue to voice concern about the new transit neighborhood.
The Dinky "has lasted through thick and thin, and I think it's a mistake to tamper with it now," Koontz said.
"As a community looking at this proposal, I think that what makes sense from a planning perspective is for mass transit to be as close as possible to the central area, which is Princeton Borough's downtown," Koontz said, adding that he remains apprehensive that the addition of lanes and bus lines "would only complicate traffic in the area as opposed to address the problem."
Koontz nevertheless praised the University's plan to "[create] station facilities, restroom facilities, a place to pick up coffee and a newspaper," citing the need for "a proper train station."
The Jitney
The proposed Borough Jitney, a project independent from the Bus Rapid Transit system, would include a stop at the Dinky but would run on a continuous loop, Durkee said.
The Borough applied to NJ Transit, which has a program that provides vehicles to local communities for shuttle services such as the Jitney, Kanarek said.
Durkee indicated that the University will be willing to help support the venture financially, though it is still in early stages of development.
"We're interested in the Jitney. We like that it's a way for people in the community to get to and from the Dinky station," Durkee said.
Read More
Princeton awards 1,293 degrees to the Class of 2025 as speakers reference political headwinds
Maya MukherjeeReunions and graduation speakers referenced the tense political climate around higher education, adding urgent undertones — and sometimes overtones — to otherwise standard ceremonial speech fare.
Reunions and graduation speakers referenced the tense political climate around higher education, adding urgent undertones — and sometimes overtones — to otherwise standard ceremonial speech fare.
Joseph ’25 next Young Alumni Trustee in 21 percent turnout election
Vitus LarrieuGil Joseph ’25 won the Young Alumni Trustee election, which saw 21 percent turnout. Joseph, Stephen Padlo ’25 and Ben Wachspress ’25 competed in the final round of elections after advancing from a notably large primary in April.
Gil Joseph ’25 won the Young Alumni Trustee election, which saw 21 percent turnout. Joseph, Stephen Padlo ’25 and Ben Wachspress ’25 competed in the final round of elections after advancing from a notably large primary in April.
‘A brilliant young contemporary writer and a beautiful human being’: Remembering Lauren Blackburn ’26
Victoria Davies and Caitlyn TabladaBlackburn was found deceased by authorities on April 25, several days after he was reported missing. He was 23 years old at the time of his death and is remembered by friends and mentors as a brilliant writer, voracious learner, and loving friend. A family obituary said he passed away after a “courageous battle with bipolar disorder.”
Blackburn was found deceased by authorities on April 25, several days after he was reported missing. He was 23 years old at the time of his death and is remembered by friends and mentors as a brilliant writer, voracious learner, and loving friend. A family obituary said he passed away after a “courageous battle with bipolar disorder.”