Monday, November 11, 2013

Raritan Valley Line Riders, Ask For One-Seat Ride

Want a one-seat ride?
Send your reasons why to
jweinstein@njtransit.com
Posted by at

9 comments:

  1. Alan GoldsteinNovember 11, 2013 at 2:02 PM

    It's a one-seat ride from Plainfield to the Union Station at Kean University. Costs $8 round trip. From the station it's a short walk to Willis Hall, home of the Kean University Small Business Development Center. Assuming 100 Plainfield residents want counseling (probably a high figure), why not give them a voucher for the ride. It'll cost $800 instead of the $30,000 the city wants to spend so the landlord at 320 Park Ave. can collect rent for an an empty desk. Let the City Council stop the ripoff and the profiteering tomorrow night. End the conflicts of interest.

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    1. AnonymousNovember 11, 2013 at 2:45 PM

      Please enlighten me as to how a one seat ride on Raritan valley line to NYC is a City Council rip off and how it involves a conflict of interest?

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  2. AnonymousNovember 11, 2013 at 9:13 PM

    I'm usually impressed when Alan spouts off statistics, but he clearly doesn't know what a one-seat ride means, what it would mean for property values, for commuter sanity, and more, not just for Plainfield, but all along the entire Raritan Valley train line. Come to Netherwood train station, still a part of Plainfield, and you will find many people heading into NYC to work. This time, Alan just sounds like a complainer just for the sake of complaining.

    For anyone else, who might want to get involved, this website is a good place to check out - click on the action tab. Write to Weinstein, write to your elected officials, sign the petition. http://www.raritanvalleyrail.com/

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    1. AnonymousNovember 12, 2013 at 12:10 AM

      Well said - and what Plainfield doesn't need right now are people that just like to pile on for the entertainment of it. We also need one seat rides!

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  3. Alan GoldsteinNovember 12, 2013 at 5:05 AM

    What the anonymous commenters fail to realize is this wasn't a critique of the one-seat ride to NYC, but the $30,000 the city wants to spend for an empty satellite SBDC desk. That's the conflict of interest and the ripoff, and its cost us upwards of $300,000 over the past ten years, although the consulting is federally funded. It's about rent and money directed by the city into the pockets of a city official. It's tangentially about putting one's faith in elected officials whose aim is to enrich themselves and suck out resources for their own benefit. This is hardly entertainment or idle complaining, but part of the root cause of Plainfield's ills. If you want to see higher property values, once you've sent an email favoring a one-seat ride to NYC, send an email to your Council rep asking why nothing ever happened with the 2nd Street streetscape on the commercial strip between Johnston and Leland. It would have done much more for property values in that neighborhood than a one-seat ride to NYC. Believe me, there's nothing wrong with the one-seat ride, but around here too many have their head in the clouds when they should have their nose to the ground.

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    1. AnonymousNovember 12, 2013 at 12:04 PM

      I think your points are interesting all though a little all over the place. I believe the "empty desk" is related to SCORE and not SBDC - they are two different things. SCORE is not an SBA program but is supported by the SBA and the counseling is paid for through the non-profit volunteers (see score.org). If the SCORE desk is empty than the city council should address that with SCORE or eliminate the funding of the rent. As for the streetscape I am certain that would be a wonderful enhancement to the area but probably isn't going to have nearly the impact on property values that a one seat ride to NYC would have.

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    2. Alan GoldsteinNovember 12, 2013 at 2:43 PM

      I am talking about SBDC. That is what the money is for. That is why my comment said SBDC. SBDC consulting is federally funded. The resolution concerns SBDC and consulting. Why people throw up obstacles so the profiteering continues is beyond me.

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  4. AnonymousNovember 12, 2013 at 12:46 PM

    A one set ride from Plainfield to NYC is a great idea and welcome plan. I often take the train into NYC for work and pleasure but I drive to Edison’s Metro Park and take the Northeast corridor , which is direct to NYC. Of course If we had a direct train from Plainfield I would ride that, the biggest issue I see is parking. Do we have enough parking lots to accommodate the increase number of riders?

    KS.

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    1. AnonymousNovember 12, 2013 at 2:13 PM

      Probably not but the first impact will be speed of commute for those already taking Raritan line into city for work. For future increases the parking situation will have to be addressed with city and NJT - but that is certainly a little down the road I would think.

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