Middletown Township is making contingency plans for commuters should NJ Transit go on strike next week.
Middletown officials have met with Monmouth County and NY Waterways representatives to develop an action plan if the work stoppage occurs. That plan may include free shuttle service to the Belford Ferry Terminal and the NJ Transit Bus Hub at the PNC Arts Center, said Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, Ph.D.
“We are taking active measures to minimize the traffic impacts and safety issues associated with the possible job action,” Scharfenberger said. “Meanwhile, we encourage commuters to be part of the solution by developing a personal contingency plan. Consider carpooling, staying with friends or family in the city or working from home if you can.”
In the event of a strike, Middletown proposes to use eight 15-passenger shuttles and two 45-passenger buses to transport commuters from designated parking areas within Middletown to the bus hub located off the Garden State Parkway at Exit 116 and the county’s ferry terminal. Designated parking areas may include the Main/Permit Lot at the Middletown Train Station on Church Street and the Belford Engine Firehouse on Main Street. It would be free to park at these locations for the duration of any strike, the mayor said.
The shuttle service would run continuously from 5:00 to 9:00am and 5:00 to 9:00pm. The service would be free and provided on a first-come basis, he said.
Updates will be posted on the township website, middletownnj.org, and sent via email. To receive township email alerts, register at middletownnj.org/alerts.
Middletown has more than 1,000 commuter rail permit holders.
Additional information from NJ Transit can be found at njtransit.com