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]] ]] ]] The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) is a Light Rail system, 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, will be 20.6 miles (33.2 km). 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. The Record (Bergen County) , February 8 , 2006 , p. L-3 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 in April 2000, with the 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 out 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). Currently the line is now planned to have its southern terminus at 8th Street in Bayonne. 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—this 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. 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 & Western RR'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 tunnel under the Hudson River for the Northeast Corridor, effectively put an end to such plans. 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:
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 an Honor System . 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. The fine for fare evasion on the Light Rail is $100. A one-way adult fare is $1.75. Ten-trip tickets are $15. A monthly, unlimited pass is $53 ($93 with parking included). 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 $0.85 (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 $2.35. 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 10 minute intervals from early evening to 1 a.m. Weekend trains operate every 15 - 20 minutes from approximately 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. ROLLING STOCK The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system has 29 electrically-powered vehicles, built by Kinki Sharyo . The cars were assembled in Harrison, New Jersey . Each vehicle is 90 feet (27.4 m) long, and has four sets of double-opening doors on each side. The vehicles can seat 68 passengers each, with standing room for another 122 passengers. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail vehicles are all air-conditioned. 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 currently serves an average 27,000 customers per day, 2006 ), and is expected to expand to more than 34,000 customers per day by 2007, and eventually 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 Brownfields and underutilized properties. After September 11, 2001 , 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. 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. All in all, 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 were 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 86-acre 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 West Hoboken, Bayonne, and Weehawken, in areas very near to light rail stations. STATION LISTING Current Stations There are currently 21 active Hudson-Bergen Light Rail stations: TIMELINE
PROPOSED EXTENSIONS Meadowlands/Xanadu NJ Transit is concurrently shifting its priorities towards extending the light rail to the Meadowlands Sports Complex , to provide easy access to the planned Meadowlands Xanadu shopping and entertainment development there. A $300,000 feasibility study was approved, though 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. Northern Branch, Bergen County NJ Transit is studying proposals for light rail service, provided by February 14 , 2006 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 , 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, New York . 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. SOURCES
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