March 4, 2002

TRAIN STATION PLAZA TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS

RAHWAY, NJ – Mayor James Kennedy announced this week that the city plans to install decorative wall panels adjacent to the new Rahway train station plaza to cover water drainage staining on the concrete walls that border the plaza. The project will be funded thanks to a $50,000 Community Development Block Grant from the federal government.

“Both the city and NJ Transit have expended a great deal of time, money and energy on building a new train station and beautiful new plaza for the public to enjoy,” said Kennedy. “While the station and plaza are new, the concrete retaining walls date from 1913, when the Pennsylvania Railroad elevated the tracks through Rahway. The walls are structurally sound, but water runoff has stained them significantly, and it is expensive to paint them frequently. This expenditure of federal money – which does not impact local property taxes – will help beautify the plaza for future generations.”

Kennedy added that the plaza is used by the Rahway Center Partnership for the seasonal farmers market and for outdoor festivals. Local merchants and the RCP alerted the city to the issue last year.

“I’d like to thank our Congressman, Donald Payne, as well as our two U.S. Senators, Bob Torricelli and Jon Corzine, for going to bat for the taxpayers of Rahway and providing the necessary funding to get this project done,” said Kennedy. “The station is complete, the plaza is complete, and this will be the final piece in redeveloping and improving the train station area.”

Weather permitting, construction is expected to begin this summer and be completed by September.