NJ TRANSIT ADVANCES TRAIN STATION SAFETY PROGRAM

BELMAR, NJ ¿ NJ TRANSIT Board Member and Belmar Mayor Ken Pringle joined NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George D. Warrington at the train station here today to give a progress report on a program to upgrade safety at nearly three dozen train stations across the system.

The Customer Safety Fencing Program is an effort to reduce incidents of passengers crossing the tracks behind a train as it pulls out of the station. Accidents and fatalities have occurred when pedestrians failed to obey the gates and flashing lights, which may also be activated for a second train approaching on the opposite track.

The safety enhancements, which include supplemental fencing, pylons and signage, are intended to reduce the ability of pedestrians to cross the tracks until the gates rise by channeling arriving passengers off the platform directly in front of the crossing protection¿the gates, bells and flashing lights.

¿The safety of our customers is a matter of paramount importance to us and is a central element of our core mission,¿ said Belmar Mayor and NJ TRANSIT Board member Ken Pringle. ¿We will not hesitate to make investments in our stations and equipment when customer safety is at stake.¿

Since late July, NJ TRANSIT personnel have evaluated the configuration of 59 stations served by two or more tracks with a road crossing adjacent to the platform. The review identified 33 stations that will undergo safety upgrades through the program.

¿We have been working aggressively to design and install safety enhancements atselect stations in an effort to reduce the possibility of future accidents,¿ said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George D. Warrington.

To date, work has been completed or is nearly complete at 12 stations, and engineering is underway at another four. As part of the effort, existing crossing gates will be relocated at some stations, while other stations will receive new gates.

¿I am very pleased that NJ TRANSIT has moved to reduce the possibility of such accidents here in Belmar or anywhere else on the system,¿ said Mayor Pringle.

The safety enhancements are expected to be completed at all 33 stations by the end of 2007 at a cost of approximately $3 million.

Stations where work is completed:

• Belmar
• Ramsey
• Dover
• Aberdeen/Matawan
• Asbury Park
• Hazlet
• Manasquan
• Middletown
• Point Pleasant
• Red Bank (additional signage to be installed soon)
• South Amboy
• Montclair-Bay Street

Stations where work is in progress:

• Convent
• Montclair Heights
• Upper Montclair
• Walnut Street

Stations where work is planned:

• Ho-Ho-Kus
• Glen Rock (Boro Hall)
• Glen Rock (Main Line)
• Denville
• Mount Tabor
• Little Silver
• Allenhurst
• Radburn (Fairlawn)
• Plauderville (Garfield)
• Garfield
• Rutherford
• Bradley Beach
• Monmouth Park
• Bay Head
• Mountain Avenue
• Raritan
• Spring Lake