NJ Transit Atlantic City Line riders to get a restoration date

ATLANTIC CITY — Riders of NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line will know by the end of the week when service will resume.

Commuters have grown frustrated at the lack of a firm date from NJ Transit for the restoration of service on the line, which has been suspended since the beginning of September 2018 for Positive Train Control work. The work has been completed, but NJ Transit has only said service would resume during the second quarter of the year.

Executive Director Kevin Corbett earlier in the week said that a date would be announced within the next three weeks. Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday at a media event that Corbett and his team "can do better."

The agency released a statement on Tuesday afternoon agreeing to Murphy's deadline.

"As per the Governor’s direction, by the end of the week we will be providing customers with a date certain for the restoration of service on the Atlantic City Rail Line and the Princeton Dinky," read the statement, which did not mention restoration of weekend service on the Gladstone Branch.

During a public meeting with Atlantic City Line riders and South Jersey politicians on Thursday, the closest Corbett came to a firm date was between June 15 and June 30, the end of the second quarter timeframe. It could also be sooner, according to Corbett, who offered apologies for the delay. He said the agency wants to be sure that everything is ready to go on whatever date is announced.

NJ Transit has a public meeting scheduled for Wednesday night in Cherry Hill about the line’s closure.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ.

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