5 Reasons Why The Pennsauken Transit Center Improves Access and Mobility In New Jersey

This morning NJ TRANSIT's Pennsauken Transit Center opens. This $40 million project mostly paid for with federal ARRA stimulus funds finally makes the long awaited connection between the Trenton to Camden RiverLINE light rail train with the Atlantic City Line that runs between AC and Philadelphia's 30th St Station.

Getting to Atlantic City without transferring to SEPTA or PATCO certainly simplifies trip planning and can save up to a half hour of travel time but the station offers other access and mobility benefits that are less obvious.

1 - Provides a connection from Burlington County to the University City section of Philadelphia. This includes the institutions such as CHOP, Drexel and Penn as well as the Schuylkill River Trail. This previously required two transfers onto the PATCO High Speed Line in Camden and SEPTA's Market Frankford El in Center City Philadelphia.

2 - Gives University City students who live points north another low cost ride home. Traveling via Atlantic City Line and the RiverLINE to Trenton will cost you $5.50 vs $9 on the SEPTA Trenton Line. Another advantage over SEPTA - No bike on rail time restrictions on either the RiverLINE or AC Line

3. - The surrounding neighborhood, known as Delair has been overshadowed by the Betsy Ross Bridge and surrounding industry. This stable but somewhat isolated, walkable community is now located at a major transit hub.

4 - Greatly improves access to and from intermediate Atlantic City Line Stations such as Hammonton and Cherry Hill to Central NJ and New York. For example Cherry Hill Station is a 6 minute ride from Pennsauken Station. Hammonton is a walkable borough in Atlantic County that is the southern gateway to the Pine Barrens. Two notable wineries Tomasello and Renault are within biking distance of AC Line Stations.

5 - Gives RiverLINE passengers a faster late night option to return home from Philadelphia. RiverLINE service terminates at 9PM The 10:50 train gets in a few minutes before the 11:19 northbound Route #419 bus to Burlington City which passes several RiverLINE stations. 

The main fault with the Atlantic City Line is the sparsity of service, so careful planning is needed to avoid long waits. It is hoped that increased ridership on the line will lead to service enhancements in the future.

AC Line Schedule with RiverLINE Connections - Click to Enlarge