Content about Princeton Branch

At Tuesday evening’s mayoral debate between Democratic candidate Yina Moore and Republican candidate Jill Jachera, the two women answered questions on pressing local issues like consolidation, movement of the Dinky, Hurricane Irene, and town relationships with Princeton University.

With regards to the University’s development of the Arts and Transit Neighborhood, which would require moving the Dinky terminus, Moore stated that she did not think moving the Dinky “is the right thing to do.

New Jersey Transit (NJT) had a chance to weigh in on the Dinky controversy at last night’s Borough Council meeting.  But when NJT representative Thomas Clark ventured the opinion that Princeton University’s proposed Arts and Transit neighborhood would help Dinky ridership, not hurt it, he was met with boos and hisses from the audience.

Princeton’s Borough Council and Township Committee plan to introduce the new zoning ordinance for Princeton University’s Arts and Transit project on May 3, with a final decision possible sometime in June. This was decided at a joint Borough-Township meeting last evening, although no formal action was taken. The meeting also sought to clarify questions from concerned residents and debate the process by which zoning ordinances and negotiation committees would be presented and approved.

Princeton University will abandon plans to locate a proposed Arts and Transit Neighborhood at the Dinky Station,  after failing to gain the approval of the Township and Borough at a joint meeting Monday night. Princeton University Vice-President Bob Durkee said that instead, the university will begin working on designs for the arts complex in locations that would not need zoning approval.

NJ Transit notice Issued: August 18, 2010