Source; https://www.njtransit.com/princetontransitway

Princeton Transitway

The Princeton Transitway Study is a concept-level review of NJ TRANSIT’s Princeton Branch that will help direct the future of transit service along this corridor. The study will evaluate existing conditions and estimate future demand, considering planned developments, such as the expansion of Princeton University, as well as how new and emerging transportation technologies and other trends are changing how and when people want to travel.
This study also presents the opportunity to evaluate the potential for the corridor to become a multi-modal backbone that could be used to improve local and regional connections for bus and rail transit, as well as pedestrian, bicycle, and other micromobility modes. A potential extension of service into Downtown Princeton and the potential to add new stops along the corridor will also be evaluated.

New transportation technologies and the role of the corridor will be evaluated within the context of the following preliminary alternatives. It should be noted that the alternatives may evolve as the project progresses.

Alternative 1: A roadway with embedded rail that can support both rail and rubber-tired transit vehicles.
Alternative 2: A stand-alone rail corridor with a parallel roadway for rubber-tired tram and/or bus service.
Alternative 3: A roadway with a guideway that could support a rubber-tired tram and buses.
Alternative 4: A no build option that continues to use the existing Arrow III cars or similar rail vehicle. No new stations would be considered under this alternative.

The study will conclude with the selection of an initially preferred alternative that would improve the quality, reliability, and frequency of service on the Princeton Branch to meet the needs of the surrounding community now and in the future. The initially preferred alternative could then be advanced for further study and design.

Why now?

Rail service on the Princeton Branch has provided an important transportation link between Princeton and Princeton Junction stations for over 150 years. However, NJ TRANSIT has reached an important crossroads for the service, necessitating a study of the corridor to address the following existing and future anticipated needs:

Aging rail vehicles. The vehicles that are used on the Princeton Branch, as well as other rail corridors, are 43 years old and will soon be replaced with high-capacity, modern, multilevel vehicles systemwide. However, a minimum of three (3) vehicles are required to make up a train consist, which will present significant operational and efficiency challenges on the short Princeton Branch.
Declining ridership. Ridership on the Princeton Branch has declined from 1,095 average weekday boardings in 2009 to 515 in 2019. This is likely the result of serval combined factors, including limited service frequency, service reliability issues due to the age of the rail vehicles, and the availability of parking at the Princeton Junction station.
Changing demands for transportation. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed travel patterns and will likely have a longer-term impact on working from home. Therefore, NJ TRANSIT must plan to respond to emergent needs now and into the future and ensure a more robust and flexible system that can be scaled to meet changing demands.
New demand along the corridor. With development planned by Princeton University and transit-oriented development in West Windsor, transit demand is anticipated to increase. This growth will require more efficient connections to the Northeast Corridor, as well as the potential for new stops along the corridor to serve the new developments.