New Bus Shelters Coming to Route 9 Corridor

There is new construction work being done along the Route 9 corridor in Howell these days, not bringing new business to town but rather making life more comfortable for people using mass transit on the major roadway.

Replacing the old familiar black bus shelters are a new generation of shelters designed to not only keep passengers safe while waiting for a bus but also better informed. Deputy Mayor Robert Nicastro said a total of 10 new shelters are being built in the township at no cost to the local taxpayers.

The New Jersey Transit Authority, Nicastro said, is responsible for not only the installation of the shelters but also maintenance of the structures. Some of the features of the new additions to the side of the road are that they are solar powered and will be Wifi capable. They will also be networked together to give passengers a better sense of when the next bus will arrive.

There will also be a display screen for information like Amber Alerts and other important items to be shared with waiting passengers. Nicastro said the first shelters are being built at the intersection of Route 9 and Lanes Mill Road and that all shelters should be installed and working by the winter or early spring at the latest.

Commuting by bus is a prominent way of travelling on Route 9 and Nicastro said it is important to make sure people have a safe and secure base to start and end their trips from. “Our goal is to provide shelters that not only provide protection from the weather elements; we are aiming for environmentally, aesthetically pleasing shelters that improve quality of life,” he said. “As we continue our initiative to enhance our highway corridor image, this project fits into our plans and is a win all around for the township and its residents.”

Have you seen the new shelters being installed? What do you think about them? Tell us in the comments section.