The Jersey City Council is set to vote on a resolution urging the state to take action regarding four A&C Bus routes set to discontinue service in about 10 weeks.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“As soon as we heard the news that these bus lines would be closing, we went to work. I have actually had a couple conversations with NJ Transit and their leadership and have also been working closely with Assemblywoman Angela McKnight who is in communication with the leadership in Trenton,” Mira Prinz-Arey, the prime sponsor, said over the phone.
“A&C Bus services about 200,000 people a month so there is serious demand and need. The 80 [NJ Transit bus] services 5,500 per weekday … It’s imperative that these lines are taken over by NJ Transit. They did this with the 10 and the 119 so there is precedent for that. We don’t have the same transit options on the west side that are available in other parts of the city.”
The councilwoman also noted that all eight of her colleagues have signed on as co-sponsors, all but assuring that it will pass unanimously at Wednesday evening’s meeting.
A grassroots effort is underway to find alternatives with four A&C Bus routes, 30, 31, 32, and 33 – which service Society Hill, Montgomery Street and West Side Avenues, Route 440 Shopper, and Bergen Avenue.
Additionally, Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), a potential mayoral candidate, sponsored a resolution that was approved unanimously (9-0) last week.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, the only declared gubernatorial candidate, wrote a letter to A&C Bus last month asking for NJ Transit to step in and take over the four routes in question.
During the unveiling of his transportation statewide plan this morning, Fulop mentioned that the city is still awaiting proposals from NJ Transit to rectify the situation.
