Prudential Center opening
October 27th 2007 08:43 am
According to a report in the Star-Ledger, approximately 6,500 out of the 16,000 patrons, or 40%, used trains to get to the Prudential Center on opening night. The breakdown is:
- NJT via Penn: 4,000
- PATH: 2,000
- NJT via Broad: 500
Given all the gloom and doom predictions about gridlock and parking, some people who normally would have driven to the Prudential Center probably opted for trains. But the gridlock never materialized and parking wasn’t a problem. It will be interesting to see if transit ridership holds as the Devils’ season gets underway and people get into a routine traveling to the arena.
It’s good that everything went smoothly and it seems that everyone had a positive experience, even these folks:
“We usually don’t like New Jersey,” said Angela Surleta, a hard-core Bon Jovi fan who came from Chicago with a friend. “We were surprised how nice everyone was.”
Lester Wolff responded on 27 Oct 2007 at 9:24 am #
It’s too bad that patrons who live in Passaic, Bergen and Rockland Counties will not have the opportunity to use rail on weekends to visit the Pru or other Newark attractions. NJT weekend schedules do not allow proper connection times between Pascack Valley, Main/Bergen lines and trains running between Secaucus Junction and Newark. In most cases, riders will have to spend about 50 minutes in Secaucus waiting for their connecting trains which makes rail a “non-starter” for these residents.
E-44 responded on 27 Oct 2007 at 12:43 pm #
Maybe missing out on seeing their favorite hair band will accomplish for Bergen, Passaic and Rockland residents what planners, politicos and environmentalists could not — demanding and getting decent public transportation to get to and from core areas.
55 minutes from front door to our seats. Don’t think I could have beat that time driving all the way.
Bob Scheurle responded on 27 Oct 2007 at 1:02 pm #
I have tickets for a Devils game this winter, but I haven’t decided on driving or taking the train. Driving is definitely faster for me, no question. It takes 35 minutes to drive. The train trip alone is 1 hour, then there’s driving to/from the train station, plus waiting up to 1 hour and 15 minutes for the train after the game.
More frequent and faster service after the game would be a help, but I’m not holding my breath waiting for NJT to do that, given that all the changes they’ve made in the last decade have done nothing but slow the trains down to a snail’s pace.
Bob Scheurle responded on 27 Oct 2007 at 6:15 pm #
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is on FSN, and he just said that he lives in northern Bergen County, he drove to the arena tonight, and it only took him 30 minutes.
Stan Fischler said he took PATH.
Ken Daneyko said he drove, but his wife and kids took the train from Morristown.
Bob Scheurle responded on 27 Oct 2007 at 10:10 pm #
The Devils lost.
After the game, they showed a shot of the Prudential Center’s TV monitors displaying train departure information for Newark Penn Station. It was a live feed from the monitors in Penn Station.
But somehow I think they’re going to rearrange the broadcast area before the next game: