Hudson–Bergen_Light_Rail

Hudson–Bergen Light Rail

The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) is a light rail system in the United States, owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, that connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City and North Bergen in New Jersey.

The eventual length of the line, when complete, is planned to be .

With an eventual overall cost of approximately $2.2 billion, the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is one of the largest public works projects ever in New Jersey. The project is being funded by a mixture of state and federal funds. The Federal Transit Administration is contributing 41% of the $1.2 billion cost of extension projects through 2008.

Overview

A light rail system for this densely populated area had been on the drawing board for over 15 years. During the 1980s and early 1990s, planners and government officials realized that alternative transportation systems needed to be put in place to relieve increasing congestion along the Hudson River waterfront, particularly in the vicinity of the Hudson River crossings. After extensive studies, it was decided that the most efficient and cost-effective system to meet the growing demands of the area would be a light rail system, constructed in several phases.

The design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the system was part of a public–private partnership. In 1996, New Jersey Transit awarded a "DBOM" (design/build/operate/maintain) contract to the 21st Century Rail Corporation (a subsidiary of the Washington Group, an engineering and construction consulting firm). Under the contract, 21st Century Rail would deliver a fleet of vehicles, a guaranteed completion date, and 15 years of operation and maintenance of the system, for a fixed price. The initial contract only covered the Initial Operating Segment, but it was later renegotiated for subsequent extensions.

The light rail opened to the public on April 22, 2000 with an initial operating segment connecting Bayonne (34th Street) and Jersey City (Exchange Place), as well as a spur line to West Side Avenue in Jersey City. Later that year, the service was extended northward to Pavonia-Newport. In 2002, service was extended to Hoboken Terminal, which completed the first Minimum Operating Segment (MOS) of the project. MOS-2 of the project involved extending service south to 22nd Street in Bayonne (which was completed in 2003), west and north of Hoboken Terminal into Weehawken (which was completed in to Lincoln Harbor in 2004 and to Port Imperial in 2005), and through Union City to Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen (which commenced on February 25, 2006).

Original plans called for extending the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail north to the Vince Lombardi Park-and-Ride in Ridgefield, to Society Hill on the West Side Avenue branch, and south to 5th Street in Bayonne, to complete the planned third Minimum Operating Segment (MOS-3). The line is now planned to have its southern terminus at 8th Street in Bayonne, with funding announced by the State of New Jersey to complete the line to 8th Street at an event on May 6, 2006. On April 18, 2008, NJ Transit awarded a $58.4 million contracts to George Harms Company to begin the process of extending the line to 8th Street. This contract pays for foundations, viaducts, tracks and a new station building. No other firm expansion plans have been announced nor has any timeline been set for the completion of subsequent parts of the project.

Within Hoboken, the line was to have originally been configured as a through-running operation, with an alignment built either through or adjacent to Sinatra Park en route to Port Imperial in Weehawken, which would have given access to both the PATH station entrance and the bus terminal. This was shelved in favor of the current stub-end station in the southern end of Hoboken Terminal and the current route along Hoboken's west side.

Despite its name, the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail only serves Hudson County at present (although, in flyers dating from the early 1990s, the project was described as the Hudson River Waterfront Transportation Corridor, no mention of Bergen County and not then featuring the extension to Bayonne). Following the review of possible northern termini versus the Vince Lombardi Park & Ride (which briefly included a proposal for a single-track operation to Paterson via the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway's right of way), the light rail was proposed to extend further north into neighboring Bergen County, along the former Erie RR Northern Branch, to terminate in Tenafly. The high cost of this plan ($1 billion), coupled with the shifting of priorities toward a new $6 billion commuter rail Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel under the Hudson River put an end to such plans.

Route and its right of way

Excepting the portions in downtown Jersey City where the route runs at grade or elevated, the system follows the former rights-of-way of the West Shore Railroad (north of Hoboken) and Central Railroad of New Jersey (south and west of Liberty State Park). Some of the portions in Jersey City run on the former route of the Morris Canal.

Service

As of February 11, 2006, the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail operates a service pattern using three connected routes. This service pattern offers direct trips between stations north of Hoboken Terminal and those to the south by eliminating the need to change trains at Hoboken Terminal, as passengers were required to do previously. This service was extended to Tonnelle Avenue with the opening of new stations in Union City and North Bergen on February 25, 2006.

The three routes are:

West Side Avenue (Jersey City) — Tonnelle Avenue (North Bergen)
Hoboken Terminal — Tonnelle Avenue (North Bergen)
22nd Street (Bayonne) — Hoboken Terminal

There is also a "Bayonne Flyer" service, which operates weekday morning and evening peak hours and stops at all Bayonne stops, Liberty State Park, Essex Street, Exchange Place, Harborside Financial Center, Pavonia-Newport, and Hoboken Terminal.

Park-and-Ride lots are available at East 22nd Street, East 34th Street, East 45th Street, West Side Avenue, Liberty State Park and Tonnelle Avenue. In total, there are 3,880 parking spaces.

The service operates on a "proof of purchase" system, in which riders must present their tickets upon request during random checks. Passengers purchase tickets at NJ Transit ticket vending machines (TVMs). One-way and ten-trip tickets must be validated at automated Validators located near the TVMs. The validator will date and time stamp the ticket for 90 minutes of use. Fare inspectors perform random ticket inspections on vehicles and at stations. This is similar to the system used in Europe for many light rail lines. The fine for fare evasion on the Light Rail is $100.

A one-way adult fare is $1.90. Ten-trip tickets are $16.25. A monthly, unlimited pass is $58 ($98 with parking included, except at Liberty State Park, where a pass costs $108). Holders of monthly passes can transfer to adjacent NJ Transit buses without an additional fare. Senior Citizens (62 and older) and passenger with disabilities travel on the light rail at a reduced fare of $0.95 (valid ID may be requested). Customers who purchase one-way tickets can purchase HBLR "tickets with transfer" from HBLR ticket vending machines at a cost of $2.55. When validated, these tickets may be used for travel on the light rail system, plus a one-zone transfer to any connecting NJ Transit intrastate bus. Customers also may purchase a transfer onboard any intrastate bus that connects with HBLR. Valid current New Jersey Transit weekly and monthly train tickets are also good for travel and do not need validation.

Trains operate from approximately 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. As of February 11, 2006, peak-period service operates every five minutes for customers traveling within the core sections of the system. The frequency of departures from the endpoint terminals is every 10 minutes (increased from 12-minute intervals). Weekday off-peak trains run every 5-10 minutes. Trains operate at 20 minute intervals from late evening to 1 a.m. on each branch. Weekend trains operate every 15 minutes during the day, and every 20 minutes from late evening to 1 a.m.

Rolling stock

The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail system has 48 electrically-powered vehicles, built by Kinki Sharyo. The cars were assembled in Harrison, New Jersey. Each vehicle is long and has four sets of double-opening doors on each side, with seats for 68 passengers and standing room for another 122 passengers. Hudson–Bergen Light Rail vehicles are all air-conditioned.

The Newark Light Rail system uses the same type of vehicle, with slight modifications to the trucks and wheels due to the different rails used.

Infrastructure

The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail system uses a combination of old rail and new (private) rights-of-way for most of its length, with some grade separation in certain areas. It shares a lane with automobiles on a portion of Essex Street in downtown Jersey City, but for the most part, does not operate with other traffic. Special signals at at-grade crossings automatically change traffic lights in favor of the light rail, to minimize stopping.

The line from 22nd Street to Liberty State Park was once the main line of the Central Railroad of New Jersey; the CNJ's branch to Newark was used for the line west to West Side Avenue. From Liberty State Park to Hoboken Terminal, the line uses a brand-new right-of-way, parts of which rest on the bed of the Morris Canal. From Hoboken to the curve south of 2nd Street, the line runs next to New Jersey Transit tracks, formerly the main line of the Lackawanna Railroad; north of the curve it uses what had been Conrail's River Line, and was originally the New Jersey Junction Railroad. The tunnel under the New Jersey Palisades was originally the West Shore Railroad's main line.

In order to obtain the right-of-way for the line north from Hoboken, which had been part of Conrail's River Line, New Jersey Transit paid to upgrade Conrail's Northern Running Track, allowing Conrail to use it for freight trains instead of the River Line.

Ridership

The system serves an average 38,200 customers per weekday, and is projected eventually to expand to 100,000 daily riders when the project is completed in 2010. Much of the additional ridership is expected to come from real estate developments that are being built around the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail stations on vacant brownfield land and underutilized properties.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the PATH system's Exchange Place station was closed due to water damage in connection with the destruction of the World Trade Center. As a result, the Light Rail was the only means of rail transit to Exchange Place, and the only practical way there from points outside of Jersey City, until Exchange Place was rebuilt and reopened and the World Trade Center line subsequently reopened.

Station art

Many of the stations feature art created by a variety of artists. For example, the Liberty State Park station features glass tile art work representing a number of "fallen flag" railroad logos. A total of 30 artists have created 50 art pieces for the stations.

Urban revitalization

The light rail has been a catalyst for both residential and commercial development along the route and has played a significant role in the revitalization of New Jersey's Gold Coast. Many of the stops are sited in vacant or underutilized areas, which are now beginning to see intense residential and mixed-use development. The line running along Essex Street in downtown Jersey City has spawned 3,000 residential units in five years. An tract of land bordering Liberty State Park is being redeveloped into a transit-oriented development known as Liberty Harbor North, which will consist of 6,000 residential units and millions of square feet of commercial space. Other developments are either planned or already underway in Hoboken, Union City, Bayonne, and Weehawken, in areas very near to light rail stations.

Timeline

April 15, 2000: The first section opens, from 34th Street to Exchange Place, with a branch to West Side Avenue.
November 18, 2000: The light rail is extended north to Pavonia/Newport.
September 29, 2002: The light rail is extended north to Hoboken Terminal.
November 15, 2003: The light rail is extended south to 22nd Street.
September 7, 2004: The light rail is extended north to Lincoln Harbor.
October 29, 2005: The light rail is extended north to Port Imperial, with service to that station on weekends only.
February 25, 2006: In a ceremony featuring several elected officials, the line is extended to Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen. Full seven day a week service begins at Port Imperial station. Bus service on the 22, 23, 86, 89, and 181 routes is modified on April 8 to "take advantage of the light rail system's reliability and convenience".

Proposed extensions

Meadowlands/Xanadu

NJ Transit is concurrently shifting its priorities towards extending the light rail to the Meadowlands Sports Complex, to provide access to the planned Meadowlands Xanadu shopping and entertainment development there. A $300,000 feasibility study was approved, and some estimate that the project could cost from $750 million to $1 billion. Historically, the Meadowlands Sports Complex has been inaccessible by rail, but NJ Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are building a spur from the Pascack Valley commuter line to the complex, which will be the first phase of a larger mass transportation plan for the Meadowlands. The light rail extension (the second phase) would be built after.

Secaucus Junction Extension

The City of Jersey City would like NJ Transit to extend the light rail to turn west, between the Harsimus Cove and Newport stops, along 6th Street over the 6th Street Embankment and through the Bergen Arches to the Secaucus Junction Station with stops along the way. There is also a group of preservationists that would like to see the Sixth Street Embankment preserved as an elevated park and has raised $5 million to that end. The city's proposal would make the embankment half light rail and half elevated park. The Jersey City City Council was to vote on March 14, 2007 on whether to apply for a $4.9 million state loan to help buy and develop as open space the Sixth Street Embankment - land a private developer bought for $3 million before having his deed invalidated. The results of this vote are still pending.

Northern Branch, Bergen County

NJ Transit is studying proposals for FRA-compliant rail service provided by diesel multiple unit (DMU) vehicles along the old Erie Northern Branch, to terminate in Tenafly in central Bergen County. This replaces an previous plan to use the same tracks for an HBLR extension.

If built, this would be a separate service, with stations heading south from Tenafly located in Englewood, Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield and Fairview before ending in North Bergen, at a new HBLR transfer station called North Bergen Junction.

NJ Transit has received $3.6 million in federal funding to conduct engineering and environmental studies, some of the final preparatory steps, which could result in a schedule starting construction by 2008, with completion by 2011.

Route 440

The West Side line in Jersey City has not been particularly well patronized. NJ Transit has considered extending the West Side line to Route 440, to terminate at the Hudson Mall or Society Hill (a large condominium development nearby), as a means of increasing ridership on the segment. This new western station would only be about 1/4 mile from its current western terminus.

Staten Island

Some proposals have been floated to extend the Bayonne portion of the line across the Bayonne Bridge to Staten Island. However, completing any construction project that involves a collaboration between NJ Transit, New York State, and New York City is a complicated matter at best and any expansion to Staten Island is unlikely in the near future.

The Bayonne Bridge was built to accommodate two extra lanes that could be used for light rail service. However, the Bayonne Bridge as it currently exists will either undergo a complete rebuilding of its bridge deck to accommodate larger container ships that pass underneath it or else the Bayonne Bridge might be rebuilt altogether, possibly with provision for light rail. Light rail extension issues could be discussed further once future Bayonne Bridge plans develop further.

Independent from the idea of running HBLR over the Bayonne Bridge (but possibly to become related in the future), in June 2006, United States Senator Charles Schumer of New York asked that light rail along Staten Island's northern and western shores be formally studied. The West Shore line, as it would be called, would link to a new "park and ride" in Staten Island's Bloomfield section, and stretch all the way to the Staten Island Mall, and possibly go onto a park-and-ride in Pleasant Plains.

On September 4, 2007, Limited Stop NYCT Bus Service was introduced between Richmond Avenue in Staten Island and the 34th Street HBLR station to help Staten Island commuters reach the HBLR, as the S89 line.

Station listing

Current Stations

There are 23 active Hudson–Bergen Light Rail stations and a 24th station under construction:

City	Station / Location	Services	Opened	Transfers and notes
North Bergen	Tonnelle Avenue at 51st Street	West Side–Tonnelle Hoboken–Tonnelle	February 25, 2006	NJ Transit buses 83 and 127
Union City	Bergenline Avenue at 49th Street	West Side–Tonnelle Hoboken–Tonnelle	February 25, 2006	NJ Transit buses 22, 22X, 84, 86, 88, 89, 154, 156, 159, 181 NOTE: The 88 and 154 are one block west on JFK Boulevard.
Weehawken	Port Imperial Port Imperial Boulevard, north of Pershing Road	West Side–Tonnelle Hoboken–Tonnelle	October 29, 2005	NJ Transit buses 23, 156R, 158, 159 Southbound buses and all #23 buses pull into the station. Northbound buses via River Road stop on Port Imperial Boulevard.
Weehawken	Lincoln Harbor Waterfront Terrace, north of 19th Street	West Side–Tonnelle Hoboken–Tonnelle	September 7, 2004	64, 67B, 68, 156R, 158, 159 Buses stop one block east on Harbor Boulevard.
Hoboken	9th Street-Congress Street 9th Street, west of Jackson Street	West Side–Tonnelle Hoboken–Tonnelle	September 7, 2004	West on Paterson Plank Road: NJ Transit buses 22X, 85, 87, and 123 One block west on Palisade Avenue: NJ Transit buses 22, 84, 86; Red & Tan in Hudson County: 10, 99, 99S
	2nd Street west of Marshall Street	West Side–Tonnelle Hoboken–Tonnelle	September 7, 2004	NJ Transit buses 22X, 85, 87 Buses stop on Paterson Avenue
	Hoboken Terminal South end of Terminal Concourse	Hoboken–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	September 29, 2002	NJ Transit Rail: Main and Bergen County lines, Pascack Valley Line, North Jersey Coast Line, Raritan Valley Line NJ Transit buses: 22, 22X, 23, 64, 68, 85, 87, 89, 126; Other: PATH, BillyBey Ferry Company, TransportAzumah: TAZ3
Jersey City	Pavonia-Newport Mall Drive East	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	November 18, 2000	One block east on Washington Boulevard: NJ Transit buses: 64, 68, 126, PATH, BillyBey Ferry Company, TransportAzumah: TAZ3 Inside Newport Centre Mall: NJ Transit buses: 86; Red & Tan in Hudson County: 4; A&C Bus
	Harsimus Cove Metro Plaza Drive	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	November 18, 2000
	Harborside Financial Center East of Greene Street, between Morgan and Steuben Streets	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	November 18, 2000	BillyBey Ferry Company
	Exchange Place Hudson Street, between York and Montgomery Streets	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	Bus: A&C Bus; NJ Transit buses: 1, 43, 64, 68, 80, 81, 82, 86; Red & Tan in Hudson County: 4; TransportAzumah: TAZ3 Rail: PATH Boat: BillyBey Ferry Company
	Essex Street between Hudson and Greene Streets	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000
	Marin Boulevard South of Grand Street	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	BillyBey Ferry Company
	Jersey Avenue South of Grand Street	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	NJ Transit buses: 1, 81; Red & Tan in Hudson County: 4 Buses stop one block north on Grand Street.
	Liberty State Park between Communipaw and Johnston Avenues	West Side–Tonnelle 22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	NJ Transit buses 305 and 981
	Garfield Avenue between Union and Carteret Streets	West Side–Tonnelle	April 22, 2000	NJ Transit buses: 6 Buses stop one block west on Ocean Avenue
	Martin Luther King Drive at Virginia Avenue	West Side–Tonnelle	April 22, 2000	Bergen Avenue IBOA; NJ Transit buses: 6, 81, 87; Red & Tan in Hudson County: 4 ''NOTE: The 81 and the Bergen Avenue bus stop one block west on Bergen Avenue. The Red and Tan #4 and the NJT #6 stop on Ocean Avenue.
	West Side Avenue at Claremont Avenue	West Side–Tonnelle	April 22, 2000	A&C Bus, 80 Buses stop one block west on Mallory Avenue.
	Richard Street East of Garfield Avenue	22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	Red & Tan in Hudson County: 4; NJ Transit buses: 6 Buses stop two blocks west on Ocean Avenue
	Danforth Avenue East of Garfield Avenue	22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	Red & Tan in Hudson County: 4; NJ Transit buses: 6 Buses stop two blocks west on Ocean Avenue 9 Buses stop two blocks west on Ocean Avenue
Bayonne	45th Street Avenue E at East 45th Street	22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	Broadway Bus Buses stop two blocks west on Broadway.
	34th Street Avenue E at East 34th Street	22nd Street–Hoboken	April 22, 2000	NYC Transit Authority: S89; Broadway Bus NOTE: The Broadway Bus stops one block west on Broadway.
	22nd Street Avenue E at East 22nd Street	22nd Street–Hoboken	November 15, 2003	Broadway Bus Buses stop two blocks west on Broadway.
	8th Street 8th Street at Avenue C	under construction

References

Sources

"On track to reborn cityscape: The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line proves a boon for older urban areas" by Steve Chambers, Newark Star-Ledger, October 30, 2005.
"Xanadu rail plan could be boon for N.J. official" by Shannon D. Harrington, The Record (Bergen County), May 6, 2005.
"Light-rail link might cost $1B; Study for Meadowlands extension OK'd" by John Brennan, The Record (Bergen County), April 28, 2005.
"Light rail to Tenafly is still a dream; NJ Transit says more study needed" by Soni Sangha, The Record (Bergen County), January 23, 2005.