The revitalization of the Walter Rand Transportation Center (WRTC) in Camden got a boost on Sept. 18 as officials announced $1 million in state funds for the project during an event held at the city’s Joint Health Sciences Center.
The transportation center’s renovation is part of the ongoing effort to reinvigorate the city and improve its transportation infrastructure. The 34-year-old WRTC is touted as a way to benefit not only transit users, but also local businesses and residents, as it connects Camden to the broader region.
Gov. Phil Murphy pledged more than $250 million for the renovation project more than two years ago. Since then, Camden County Commissioners have collaborated closely with NJ Transit, the site’s redeveloper and owner. NJ Transit has approved 30% of the concept design, according to the county, and renderings have been made public.
“With this funding, the Walter Rand Transportation Center is poised to transform into the heart of South Jersey’s transit network,” Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald said at the announcement. He was joined by county Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen and council members, and representatives from the Camden County Improvement Authority.
The WRTC is also poised to become the northern terminus of the Glassboro–Camden Line, an 18-mile light rail system expected to be completed by 2028. NJ Transit announced its plans for the WRTC in 2021.
Opened in 1989 as a surface-level bus transfer hub, the WRTC was renamed in 1994 to honor Walter Rand, a former state senator known for his expertise in transportation issues. The opening also marked the beginning of River Line service in March of 2004.
“This reconstruction of the Walter Rand Transportation Center represents a generational investment, not only for Camden City but for South Jersey as a whole,” noted Nash.
Greenwald echoed that sentiment.
“With this funding,” he said, “the Walter Rand Transportation Center is poised to transform into the heart of South Jersey’s transit network.”
