With nearly 10,000 people moving through this city's midtowntrain station on a daily basis, it's one of the state's busiest.The transit village designation brings with it eligibility for avariety of state grants, beginning with an initial grant of$100,000 for planning purposes. Other benefits include planningassistance and a streamlined approval process. This city is the18th to win transit village designation from the state.

"The transit village initiative enable the New Jersey DOT toinvest in our quality of life by reducing congestion, increasingmass transit use and building more economically viable andpedestrian-friendly town centers," says NJDOT commissioner KrisKolluri.

Officials say the designation will help jumpstart redevelopmentof the city's midtown area. According to a spokesman for thedepartment of planning and community development, general plansbeing drawn up include more than 700 new residential units and70,000 sf of commercial space around the train station, whichserves as a hub for both NJ Transit and Amtrak service. Thespokesman also says that the city will most likely tap into theprivate developer community for additional ideas for theredevelopment.