Metropark station

Metropark station
Company type	Transit center
Industry	Transportation
Founded	November 14, 1971; 54 years ago
Headquarters	Iselin, Woodbridge Township, United States
Area served	Middlesex County, New Jersey
Products	Rail and bus transit services
Owner	NJ Transit

Metropark station functions as a multimodal transit center on the Northeast Corridor located in the Iselin neighborhood of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, Middlesex County, approximately 24.6 miles southwest of New York Penn Station. This facility, managed and owned by NJ Transit, accommodates services from both Amtrak and NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line. During peak hours, NJ Transit operates 'loop' bus routes synchronized with train arrivals and departures.

Positioned near the junction of Route 27 and exits 131 and 132 of the Garden State Parkway, the station includes a multi-level parking structure accessible around the clock.

Developed through a collaboration between the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and the United States Department of Transportation, Metropark commenced operations on November 14, 1971, initially bearing the name Garden State Metropark. It was established as a suburban park-and-ride location catering to the then-new high-speed Metroliners.

History

During the 1960s, Metropark was planned as one of two park-and-ride infill stations designed specifically for the new Metroliners, alongside the Capital Beltway station near Washington, D.C. Initially called Garden State Metropark and Capital Beltway Metropark, these names were later shortened to Metropark and Capital Beltway respectively. Both stations were created through public-private partnerships, with NJDOT contributing $648,000 toward an initial budget of $1.4 million for Metropark.

Amtrak service at Metropark began on November 14, 1971. The total investment increased to $2.6 million, jointly financed by NJDOT and the United States Department of Transportation. The station was equipped with two high-level platforms and offered 820 parking spaces. Its location adjacent to the Garden State Parkway provided convenient automobile access, leading to the emergence of a substantial business park, considered one of the earliest examples of an Edge City developing from a parking lot. Meanwhile, commuter rail continued to utilize the nearby Iselin station.

On July 30, 1979, the facility was renamed Harrison A. Williams Metropark Station in recognition of Senator Williams' role in supporting its construction. After his conviction in the 1981 Abscam scandal, there were attempts to remove his name; however, it persisted at least until 1984. To enhance accessibility, northbound ramps to the Garden State Parkway at Exit 131A were opened in November 1986.

Renovation

In January 2007, NJ Transit unveiled plans for an extensive renovation of Metropark station valued at nearly $30 million, aiming for completion by 2010. The reconstruction project was completed by Anselmi & DeCicco, Inc. during summer 2009 at a final cost of $47 million. Improvements included climate-controlled waiting areas, installation of LCD train information displays, platform extensions accommodating 12-car trains, lengthened canopies for better shelter, and expansion of the station building.

On April 12, 2023, one of the two stairways linking the underpass to the southbound platform was closed for operational reasons.

Layout and services

Metropark station is part of the NJ Transit Rail Operations network, situated on the Northeast Corridor Line. It consists of two elevated side platforms serving four tracks. Although most Amtrak long-distance and Keystone Service trains travel through the station on the inner tracks without stopping, a number of Amtrak services do stop here by shifting to the outer local tracks. Up until 2005, the eastbound train also made stops at this location. To support the necessary track changes, pairs of 45-mph crossovers known as MENLO and ISELIN interlockings were installed around 1986.

NJ Transit operates five peak-period bus routes numbered 801 through 805, collectively called the "Metropark Loop," which link the station to surrounding office complexes and residential neighborhoods.

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