But that may change. A proposal has been floated to build a1,100-space parking lot about 100 yards from the terminal, whichstate officials have previously said was designed to be a junctionfor existing commuter rail lines rather than a park-and-ridestation. The parking proposal came from the Newark-based EdisonProperties, which specializes in parking facilities.

Edison owns a 6.8-acre site at 675 New County Rd., just acrossthe New Jersey Turnpike from the terminal, which is knownofficially as the Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station. The site,directly accessible to the station via an underpass, currentlyholds a vacant 155,000-sf warehouse building, which Edison has hadon the marketfor lease or several months.

What Edison proposes to do, according to company president JerryGottesman, is tear down the existing building and replace it withthe parking lot. He estimates that it will cost $5 million tocomplete the project, which would include the demolition, sitework, fencing and utility work.