Route 130 funding provides new early and late trips help workers reach jobs beyond county lines.
TLDR:
1. An additional $60,000 from NJ TRANSIT preserves Mercer County’s $1 Route 130 Connection, including early-morning and late-night service.
2. Warehouse, pharmaceutical and medical-device growth is increasing the need for transportation to local employment centers.
3. Farther south, Sen. Michael Testa is seeking federal funding to extend Route 55, citing congestion and safety concerns at Route 47.
Mercer County has secured an additional $60,000 from NJ TRANSIT to preserve its Route 130 Connection bus service, including an expansion into Middlesex County previously supported by federal pandemic funding. At $1 each way, the route connects Trenton with eastern Mercer County and employment centers in Cranbury, Monroe and South Brunswick. The funding includes expanded service, including early-morning and late-night trips that accommodate workers’ shifts.
The route serves an area where warehouse and distribution development has brought employers including Amazon and Wayfair in the last decade. More recently, Titanium Plus Auto Parts announced a 444,470-square-foot distribution hub on Hightstown-Cranbury Station Road in April 2026, along the corridor served by the bus expansion.
A Rutgers–Camden study of approximately 303 participants identified transit reliability, coverage and access as leading concerns, with participants in southeastern Camden County reporting greater difficulty meeting their transportation needs.
“Reliable transportation is an essential part of a strong local economy,” Mercer County Executive Dan Benson said. “For many residents, having access to an affordable way to get to work makes the difference between accepting a good job opportunity and having to turn it down.”
East Windsor, also en route, has attracted several new pharmaceutical and medical-device employers. RK Pharma’s projected 300–400 employees and Rising Pharmaceuticals’ plans to add approximately 50 positions show how local transportation needs can grow alongside development.
The next step may be addressing another transportation challenge farther south; the bottleneck where Route 55 ends at Route 47 in Cumberland County. Sen. Michael Testa’s resolution calls for federal funding to extend Route 55 to the Garden State Parkway, citing summer backups and safety concerns as highway traffic funnels onto the local road. The connection could improve travel for residents, workers and Shore visitors, although the proposal would also have to address the construction costs and environmental obstacles that halted the original extension.
Sources:
Sanservino, B. (2026, October 7). County funding keeps Route 130 Connection rolling. Princeton Info. Read article
The Blau & Berg Company. (2026, April 20). Blau & Berg secures long-term lease of 444,470 SF industrial facility on 39.94 AC in Cranbury. Read announcement
East Windsor Township. (2024, September 25). Pharmaceutical company RK Pharma to occupy Innovation Park on Princeton Hightstown Road in East Windsor Township. Read announcement
East Windsor Township. (2024, December 20). Global life science company Getinge celebrates grand opening in East Windsor Township. Read announcement
East Windsor Township. (2025, January 16). Empower Pharmacy opening facility along Princeton Hightstown Road in East Windsor Township. Read announcement
East Windsor Township. (2025, October 20). Rising Pharmaceuticals holds grand opening for newly constructed facility on Wyckoff Mills Road in East Windsor Township. Read announcement
Rutgers University–Camden. (2025, January 23). New report on public transit in South Jersey highlights potential improvements to the system. Read report summary
New Jersey Legislature. (2026, May 11). Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 133 [As introduced]. Read resolution
