What if Christie took public transportation, or drove himself to Drumthwacket?
TRENTON — New Jersey Transit’s Trip Planner lets commuters enter to and from addresses for travel by rail, bus, light rail or any combination of mass transit.
The trip Gov. Chris Christie took by helicopter Tuesday between St. Joseph Regional High School, 40 Chestnut Ridge Road, Montvale, and Drumthwacket, 354 Stockton, Princeton, returned this message:
We're sorry. We were unable to find a trip between your origin and destination without an excessive walking distance. We have provided a list of transit centers that are near the location you entered. Please make your selection from the list below and click the "Resubmit" button to continue processing your request.
The Montvale train station is listed as 2.17 miles away. Picking it returned this itinerary, optimized to minimize travel time. It is scheduled to take 3 hours and 51 minutes and cost $18.05 one way. It includes a 475-foot walk:
Depart: MONTVALE at 3:57 PMBoard: Train 1630 toward HOBOKEN
Arrive: FRANK R LAUTENBERG SECAUCUS LOWER LEVEL at 4:49 PM
Depart: FRANK R LAUTENBERG SECAUCUS UPPER LEVEL at 5:51 PM
Board: Train 3969 toward TRENTON TRANSIT CENTER
Arrive: TRENTON TRANSIT CENTER at 6:55 PM
Walk 0.06 miles W to S CLINTON AVE AT WALLENBERG BLVD
Depart: S CLINTON AVE AT WALLENBERG BLVD at 7:10 PM
Board: Bus No 606 toward Cc PRINCETON-Exact Fare
Board: RT-206 AT INDEPENDENCE DR at 7:48 PM
Walk 0.09 miles SW to Drumthwacket, 354 Stockton St, Princeton, NJ 08540-4498Fare
Bus — $2.55
Rail — $15.50
Total — $18.05
MapQuest suggests driving on the Garden State Parkway and Route 1, a 66.82-mile trip that’s estimated to take 1 hour 28 minutes. Tolls would total $2, charged at the Pascack Valley and Essex toll plazas.
1. Start out going SOUTH on CHESTNUT RIDGE RD/CR-73 toward WOODMONT DR. Continue to follow CHESTNUT RIDGE RD. — 0.9 mi
2. Turn LEFT onto GLEN RD/CR-71. GLEN RD is 0.1 miles past COUNTY RD — 0.1 mi
3. Merge onto GARDEN STATE PKWY S (Portions toll). If you reach CLAIRMONT DR you've gone about 0.1 miles too far — 39.3 mi
4. Merge onto US-1 S via EXIT 130 toward TRENTON. — 10.0 mi
5. Stay STRAIGHT to go onto US-1 S. — 13.5 mi
6. Turn RIGHT. Just past FISHER PL — 0.03 mi
7. Take the 1st RIGHT onto WASHINGTON RD/CR-526/CR-571. If you reach US-1 you've gone a little too far — 1.6 mi
8. Turn LEFT onto NASSAU ST/RT-27. NASSAU ST is just past WILLIAM ST — 0.4 mi
9. NASSAU ST/RT-27 becomes STOCKTON ST/US-206. — 0.9 mi
10. 354 STOCKTON ST is on the LEFT. Your destination is 0.1 miles past INDEPENDENCE DR. If you reach FARRAND RD you've gone a little too far.
At least one famous person walked this route. After losing the Battle of Brooklyn Heights on Aug. 27, 1776, General George Washington left from Manhattan the next day and crossed the Hudson into New Jersey. He fought the Battle of Princeton on Jan. 3, 1777, 129 days after arriving in Bergen County.
Star-Ledger staff writer Frank Cecala contributed to this report.
Previous coverage:
• State Police say Gov. Christie's helicopter rides are 'no additional cost to taxpayers'
• Gov. Christie's helicopter rides raise ire of Democratic lawmaker
• Gov. Christie arrives at son's high school baseball game in State Police helicopter
• Poll: Was it inappropriate for Gov. Christie to take a helicopter to his son's baseball game?
• Your comments: Gov. Christie takes state helicopter to son's H.S. baseball game