Station upgrade shouldn't affect service
Many improvements slated for Woodbridge No. Jersey Coastline stop
BY JAY BODAS
Staff Writer

JAY BODAS Woodbridge train station off Pearl Street is currently in the second phase of a three-phase $23 million renovation project that is scheduled to be completed by next spring. The renovations will include four new enclosed shelters with on-demand heating and security cameras networked to the NJ Transit system.

Talk about an extreme makeover.The lucky recipient? Woodbridge train station on Pearl Street.

"It is a $23 million project divided into three phases, and it is currently in the second phase," said NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel. "We are currently doing work on the eastern end of the platform, and Phase II will be completed this fall. Phase III will shift to the west end and will be six months in duration. The entire project will be completed by next spring."

Normal train service will be maintained throughout all phases of construction, he said.

The Woodbridge train station platform dates back to the 1930s, when the station was constructed as a Depression-era public works project.

"There have been some intermittent improvements over the years, but the station has, over time, experienced deterioration to its concrete passenger platform," Stessel said. "We have conducted annual inspections that revealed water infiltration and the effect of salt corrosion."

More than 1,700 riders use the Woodbridge station every day.

As part of the reconstruction, four enclosed shelters with heating will be built, and the platform canopy that protects those waiting on the station from rain will be extended to three times its current length.

"The shelters will have push-button, on-demand heating," Stessel said. "On cold winter days, customers will be able to push a button and heat will come on in the shelters. Two additional ticket vending machines will be installed. The main station building is also being redone with a larger waiting area, and will be open 24 hours."

Two wheelchair-accessible restrooms will replace the one restroom presently there, and the stairs to street level will be rebuilt. New security cameras will also be installed, and they will be linked to NJ Transit's closed-circuit television network.

"With the network, we have the ability to bring up any camera from any system on the NJ Transit network," Stessel said. "We can look at the platform of a given station and make an announcement as necessary."

During the final third phase, the existing elevator will be out of operation for a maximum 90-day period.

"In that phase, we will be providing bus shuttle service from a nearby accessible station for customers with disabilities," Stessel said. "The existing elevator shaft will be preserved, meaning the elevator will remain in its current location when the project is completed."