A project that will create a safe locale for rail cars and locomotives in case of extreme weather events is a step closer to getting started, with NJ Transit’s awarding of the first construction contract for the Delco Lead Storage and Inspection Facility.

The board of directors of the statewide transit agency announced a $6 million contract with Union Paving on April 13 for early action work in New Brunswick, which includes preparing the site for the subsequent construction of the service yard, Inspection Facility, Delco Lead and remaining County Yard Improvement Project elements.

In the event that the Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny and the Morrisville Yard in Morrisville, Pa., are evacuated, NJ Transit plans to use the Delco Lead Project to provide resilient storage for the agency’s rail equipment.

According to the announcement, equipment stored here will be out of flood-prone areas, in addition to being strategically located along the Northeast Corridor for a rapid return to service for that route, along with that of the Raritan Valley and North Jersey Coast lines.

In a statement, Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said that the project “offers the necessary resiliency to ensure that reliability.” Along with its location, the inclusion of the Service and Inspection Facility will help to facilitate inspection of equipment so that it can be returned to service in a timely manner.

Following Superstorm Sandy, County Yard and the associated 4-mile-long Delco Lead were identified as safe-haven storage locations due to the land and yard’s positioning above the flood plain, which also offers relatively no adjacent trees.

“As climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of weather events in our region, this project will mean better, more reliable and resilient service for our customers,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett in a statement. “The Delco Lead project will improve continuity of service by allowing us to quickly restore service even after the most severe weather-related impacts.”

NJ Transit anticipates completion of the early action phase of the Delco Lead project in late summer 2023.