February 17, 2021
The Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden will be transformed into a modern facility that enhances transit services and features a mixture of apartments, offices and retail stores.
The $250 million project to upgrade and enlarge the transit hub will take about nine months to complete once work begins, New Jersey officials said Wednesday. NJ Transit will issue an RFP to obtain design proposals from professional firms in the coming weeks.
State officials heralded the project as essential to the city's revitalization efforts.
"With proximity to Rowan University, Cooper University Hospital and the city of Philadelphia, it's well-positioned to serve a wide array of commuters," Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald said. "These much-needed upgrades will lead to a safer, more reliable and comfortable experience for visitors and help to boost the transit hub's potential."
The center provides transportation services from NJ Transit, South Jersey Transportation Authority, PATCO and Greyhound, offering connections to Philadelphia and locations throughout South Jersey.
Owned by NJ Transit, the center was constructed in 1989, though transit services at the site date back to 1936. It was renamed in 1994 to honor Rand, a former state lawmaker that Gov. Phil Murphy called "one of the fathers of infrastructure."
The redevelopment project also will provide additional parking and opportunities to integrate zero-emissions buses. NJ Transit recently invested $2.8 million into improving the transportation hub's parking garage.Calling the transportation center "the gateway to South Jersey," Murphy said that the redevelopment project will "benefit the people of Camden for decades to come."
"In spite of the pandemic’s challenges, Camden is a city still on the rise," Murphy said. "Any modern city needs a modern transportation hub, and with this investment, we are sending a clear signal that Camden's best days are ahead."
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