Federal funding for the Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex (MOM) Passenger Rail Line has cleared a major hurdle by garnering the approval of a key House subcommittee U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced today. 

    The House Appropriations Committee agreed to the requests put forth by Smith and U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton’s (R-NJ) for funding for the study on the proposed reactivation of the MOM line by adding $1 million dollars to FY08 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. That bill was approved by the committee, clearing the way for consideration of the bill—and in turn the request—by the full House.

    “I am pleased that the committee has shown their support for continuing the MOM Rail Line Corridor study. The MOM line needed to significantly reduce traffic in the fastest growing region in New Jersey and a strong show of support from Congress can help move this project forward,” said Smith.

    New Jersey Transit Corporation is nearing completion of its draft statement on the proposed reactivation of this former passenger line. The proposed 40-mile route will extend passenger rail service to central New Jersey from New York City, Newark and other points along the Northeast Corridor Line.

    “New ways of reducing traffic in this area of central New Jersey must be explored. The MOM Passenger Rail Line will relieve traffic on heavily congested highways like Route 9,” Smith said.

    Smith and Saxton helped authorize the project in 2004 and have since worked to secure $2.5 million in federal funds for the study over the past two years.

    “The funds included in this bill will help move this vital project to the preliminary engineering phase. This makes it all the more important that the funding remains in the final version that Congress sends to the President and I will continue working to protect this funding throughout the process,” said Smith.