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The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line is a proposed restoration of passenger train service along some former branches of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The NJ Transit train line would go to Lakehurst, New Jersey in Ocean County, New Jersey.
Contents
State and local planners have proposed the branch in order to alleviate car traffic congestion on the U.S. Route 9 corridor that passes through the densely populated counties of Middlesex, Ocean and Monmouth. The line has been indefinitely stalled by current New Jersey governor Chris Christie. The governor's administration has declined to fund the project.
Alternative alignments
There are three possible alignments. One route would diverge from the current North Jersey Coast Line at Red Bank, and then head southwest. A second alignment would part from the same existing line at Aberdeen, and then head south. A third route would leave the current Northeast Corridor line at Monmouth Junction.
History
The route towards Bridgeton was a path for running the CNJ Blue Comet train to Atlantic City.
Responses to the proposed line
Some Ocean County area residents have pushed for the extension. On the other hand, other area residents have asked for U.S. Route 9 to be widened.