Madison, NJ -- On Friday, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Madison Mayor Robert H. Conley brought together local officials, commuters from Madison and Chatham, transit and environmental experts, and small business owners to discuss how the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver for NJ-11. Rep. Sherrill specifically highlighted funding for the Gateway Tunnel Project that will be instrumental in making New Jerseyans' commutes safer and more reliable as well as the economic benefits of the infrastructure package.
At the roundtable, Rep. Sherrill was joined by:
Madison Mayor Robert H. Conley
Chatham Councilman Len Resto, President of the NJ Association of Railroad Passengers
Brian Dempsey, Chatham Commuter
Ezra Jennings, Madison Commuter
Trina Mallik, Madison resident and environmental expert
Patricia Khawand, owner of Fleur de Sel, located near the Chatham Train Station
George Ubertaccio, owner of Hava G'day Cafe located in the Madison Train Station
"This historic train station in the heart of Madison is critical to the local community and economy, so it is the perfect place to discuss the importance of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The experiences relayed by today's roundtable participants are shared by thousands of commuters and small businesses around NJ-11. This is why I have fought so hard for the Gateway Tunnel and to bring this railroad infrastructure funding to New Jersey since my first day in office," said Rep. Sherrill. "For too long, New Jerseyans have suffered hellish commutes that have been inefficient, unreliable, and unsafe. Funding the nation's most critical infrastructure project, the Gateway Tunnel, will create jobs right here in New Jersey and help lower our carbon emissions -- this bipartisan infrastructure package is a major win for NJ-11 families."
"Madison, ‘The Rose City', has been a commuting town since the 1850's when roses were taken by train into NYC to be sold. Since then, commuting has only become imperative for residents of Madison and surrounding municipalities," said Mayor Conley. "I applaud Congresswoman Sherrill for her dedication in ensuring the passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Its passing will provide critical investments and necessary funding to New Jersey, including the Northwest Corridor Modernization Grants and the Gateway Project, which will ease the burden that commuters experience today."
"My NJ-ARP membership will benefit from the Infrastructure Bill by having Gateway finally started thus increasing capacity," said Councilman Resto, President of the NJ Association of Railroad Passengers (NJ-ARP). "It will fund the replacement of low level platforms with high level ones allowing ADA access and quicker boarding thus speeding trips. It will make possible electrifying non-electrified lines and expanding the transit system with the Lackawanna Cut-Off in Northwest N.J. being just one example."
"When we moved to Chatham in 2001, I thought I had found the perfect commuting situation. I could walk to the station in town and then my office was only five minutes away from Penn Station," said Brian Dempsey, Chatham commuter for over 20 years. "But I learned the hard way that you can't rely on the trains to get you where you need to be on time. I stopped scheduling morning meetings. I had to stop coaching my kids' sports teams because more often than not, I missed practice as a result of a delayed train home. Needless to say that I am thrilled that ground was broken within the past few weeks on a new Portal Bridge and that this bill will fund the Gateway Tunnel Project. From when she first ran, our Congresswoman has been a champion of getting this tunnel built. She was relentless in her pursuit of making improvements and she remained focused on ways to benefit her constituents."
"As a small local business that opened during the pandemic, the train commuter segment is key to our business growth and sustainability," said Patricia Khawand, Owner of Fleur de Sel located near the Chatham Train Station. "It is reassuring to know that Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill is engaged in listening to our concerns."
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