Time to make tracks to Plainfield?

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In 1998, Plainfield was one of only three sites statewide being considered as a location for a proposed New Jersey Rail and Transportation Museum.

"Make Tracks to Plainfield" was the tagline for the citizen group promoting Plainfield as the best site.

The City's 1998 amended proposal relied heavily on siting the Museum in the West End.

One of the improvements the City expected as a result of the designation would be the extension of a proposed light rail line from Elizabeth to a terminus at Rock Avenue, rather than at the main train station.

Now that 'transit villages' and 'transit-friendly development' are the topics of the day, perhaps it would be a good time to review the Museum proposal.

Though Plainfield was recognized by the Toronto museum consultant hired by NJT as the best location from a marketing perspective, the decision -- by a then Republican-controlled Legislature -- was to award the designation to Phillipsburg.

The Phillipsburg project has gone nowhere.

Plainfield still makes sense.

You can check out the original proposal here: "City of Plainfield Transportation Museum Proposal"

-- Dan Damon

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