By JOHN REITMEYER, NJ Spotlight | APRIL 7, 2023
Reestablishing a rail connection between New York City and Scranton, Pa. could generate more than $80 million in new economic activity for a region that includes northern New Jersey, according to a recent analysis of the proposed project.
Using a route that would serve stations in Blairstown, Dover, Morristown, Montclair, and Newark in New Jersey, the proposed line would also deliver so-called societal benefits by getting people off highways and thereby reducing air pollution, according to the analysis.
The analysis, conducted jointly by Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority, explored the revival of a rail service between the two cities that was discontinued more than 50 years ago.
Researchers assumed three roundtrips could occur daily between New York City and Scranton, with service beginning as early as 2028. Trains would reach speeds of up to 110 miles per hour during certain portions of what could be a less than three-hour trip between the two cities, according to the analysis.
The results were released late last month and drew immediate praise from both federal and state officials, including representatives of the highway-reliant section of New Jersey where the envisioned rail service would operate.
“Passenger rail is inaccessible for many residents in the western part of my district, forcing them into long commutes on congested highways,” said U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Morris).
“This project would help to revitalize the area, bringing new residents and tourists to the community while also reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions,” she said.
National infrastructure renewal
Rebuilding the nation’s transportation infrastructure has been a core policy goal for President Joe Biden, a Democrat who took office in 2021.
During his first year in office, Biden enacted a law that calls for more than $1 trillion in spending on infrastructure renewal, including road, rail, and water systems. Among other projects, the infrastructure bill included funding to advance a planned “Gateway” rail tunnel under the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York, something transportation advocates have long identified as a national priority.
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