Camden line expansion: Pitman residents to vote on Election Day train service initiative

Yahoo

3 days ago

Pitman Borough residents are to weigh in this Election Day on the idea of running a light rail passenger service through town on its way to its final stops in Glassboro.
This is a ballot question that borough council members narrowly approved at their meeting July 28. The initiative went out this week to the Gloucester County Clerk's Office for processing.
Aug. 8 is the last day under state law for municipal and county government officials to submit non-binding ballot questions ahead of a general election.
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The Glassboro-Camden Line would run approximately 18 miles between those communities, with Rowan University officials in Glassboro emphatically backing the idea. Transportation officials under Gov. Phil Murphy have promised that the line will be constructed, regardless of how it's been viewed by some in affected communities.
Pitman's resolution authorizing the referendum, which is not binding, states that 'Pitman recognizes the potential impacts such a project may have on local quality of life, safety, traffic, noise levels, and overall character of the community.'
As an example, officials noted that railroad safety rules require a train to sound its horn four times at any crossing. That pattern would mean 32 horn blasts here in 'peak commuting hours,' which it lists as between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The resolution phrases the question as: 'Do you support the construction of the Glassboro-Camden Line through Pitman?' The possible responses are 'yes' or 'no.'
Councilwoman Sarah Musto proposed the resolution, which was approved on a 3-2 vote.
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Republicans Musto and John Fitzpatrick were 'yes' votes, joined by Democrat Robert Uyehara.
Council President Vanessa James and Councilwoman Debra Guarni, both Democrats, voted against the proposal.
Councilman Adam Mazzola, a Democrat, was absent because of an illness. Mayor Michael Razze Jr., a Republican, also was not present.
James said that she questioned whether a referendum was the best approach in dealing with state officials, adding that they all need to see more specifics about the project.
'There also was discussion about creating some form of subcommittee or appointing a member of the municipal government to be kind of more a liaison, take a more active role in getting information about the light rail and what its impact on Pitman is going to be,' James said this week. 'That was my big push.'
Referendums previously held in Mantua, Woodbury Heights, Wenonah and Brooklawn all resulted in majorities of voters in those communities opposing the project. Glassboro residents, however, have voted in favor of it.
In 2022, Pitman elected officials approved a non-binding resolution stating that they would oppose the project until they received satisfactory answers about potential negative impacts. The mayor cast a tie-breaking vote on the resolution after council members deadlocked.
Election Day 2025 is Nov. 4.
Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Glassboro-Camden light rail project going in front of Pitman voters
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