Congressman Chris Smith has secured an additional $750,000 to redesign and renovate the Trenton Train Station.  The federal funds are included as an earmark in the Fiscal Year 2004 Consolidated Omnibus Appropriations Act.

    “I’ve made the renovation of the Trenton Train Station a top priority.  Since 2000, when I secured the initial $5 million in federal funds by working closely with then-Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf, who visited Trenton and the existing station, we have been successful securing additional funding every year since,” Smith said.

    “This most recent allocation brings the total amount of federal funding invested in the renovation project to $14,750,000 since I took the lead in securing the initial funds in Fiscal Year 2001,” Smith added.  “We have provided New Jersey Transit with a significant edge in federal funds, and I anticipate working closely with them as they steer significant state resources to this project.”

    Smith worked throughout the year to secure the additional money, and the full House is expected to pass the bill on Monday.  Following is a timeline of when federal funds were appropriated for the train station project:

• Fiscal Year 2001 -- $5 million
• Fiscal Year 2002 -- $2.5 million
• Fiscal Year 2003 -- $6.5 million
• Fiscal Year 2004 -- $750,000

    “Our city deserves a first-class passenger train station and I am committed to helping us achieve this goal,” Smith said. “I’m pleased that this year, as in the past three years, our federal government has appropriated funds to move this critical project along so that soon we will have a renovated Trenton Train Station serving the growing demand of area residents who rely on the Northeast corridor each and every day.”

    Plans for the renovation include reconstructing the existing building and adding a second floor mezzanine level to double the size to about 40,000 square feet.  This additional space will provide more room for ticketing services, retail space, and passenger waiting room.

    The project will also upgrade the station’s electrical and heating/air conditioning systems, elevators and escalators, parking areas and traffic patterns, and landscape to ultimately make the station more rider-friendly and efficient.