My LRT Transit Vision for North Jersey
Upgrades/general ideas for New Jersey Transit / PATH (North Jersey)
- Utilize all Station space to and leasable land to generate addition revenue
- Convert the PATH into an Automated Metro with Platform Screen doors
- Purchase Super LRV’s like Combino Supra , Alstom Citadis Spirit to service the ever growing ridership on the NLR and HBLR
- Replace the existing PATH trains with open gangway train sets similar to the Toronto Rocket or Montreal Metro Azur or Alstom Metropolis
- Build a 14 mile long Bus Rapid Transitway along Route 4 from Paterson Bus/Train Center to Fort Lee/GWB Bus Terminal. Signal Priority along Broadway in Paterson , Dedicated Bus Lanes along Broadway in Fair Lawn with streetscaping and pedestrian upgrades , Median Bus Only Lanes with Stations from Paramus to Fort Lee
- Build a 5 mile long Bus Rapid Transitway from Downtown Newark to Orange along Central Ave using dedicated bus lanes and signal priority
- Build a 7 mile along Bus Rapid Transitway from Downtown Newark to South Orange along South Orange Ave with dedicated Bus lanes and Signal Priority
The Map
Financing the system and the expansions
I know this way of financing the system is very taboo but I can’t see anyway of funding a bulk of these projects without Congestion pricing. Seeing how most people in Jersey City , Newark and Hoboken commute using public transit another alt means like walking or biking I doubt this would be too controversial as it goes to funding transit. The Congestion zone in Newark would be encompass most of Downtown , University Heights and the Northern Ironbound section. To give people an Alt way of accessing Port Newark / Industrial side of the Ironbound I would build the much needed but shelved I-280 to East Ferry Interchange and Bridge which would also be tolled. The Congestion charge for Downtown Newark/The Ironbound/University Heights would be 10$ during rush hour and 5 off peak , free on Weekends and select holidays. Local deliveries would be exempt from the congestion charge off peak.
For Jersey City the Congestion Charge would apply to areas East of I-78 , or Downtown JC , and the Southern portion of Hoboken which is heavily congested. I would charge 10-15$ for to enter the congestion zone during peak hour and 5$ off peak with weekends being free but Gridlock Holidays would be charge ie Thanksgiving to New Years Day. Local Deliveries would be exempt for off peak deliveries.
An Alternative to a congestion charge in Jersey City / Hoboken is to create a development-transit tax zone that would radiate a half mile out from each station and apply to any large scale development new or old. With large scale developments like the “Soho West or Liberty Harbor or Journal Squared” It would be like a property tax but the money would used for Upgrading , expanding and operating Transit in Hudson County but even with that I still feel like congestion pricing would bring in more and reduce the congestion.
Addition funding could come from Reusing abandoned or off limits space like the Upper Level at Hoboken Terminal or the car storage under the Southern part of Newark. Transforming some of the unused space under the Viaducts in the Oranges into Retail space and leasing out ever available train station space for retail or entertainment space. Newer Stations should be built with retail space to be leased out and chains should be banned for bidding on those spaces.
Subway/Metro/Urban Light rail Expansions
Newark LRT Division
Newark Rapid Express (Newark LRT)
Current System Size : 6.2 mi
Current Daily Ridership : 25,700 (2019)
Stations : 17
Proposed System : 55.6 miles
Proposed Services : - Main Street - West Orange to Hoboken Terminal : 5min peak / 10 offpeak
- Main Street - West Orange to Forest Hills JCT : 8 min all day
- Caldwell University to Newark Penn : 5min peak / 10 offpeak
- Lackawanna Transit Center (Montclair) to Newark Airport : 15min all day
- Great Falls to Newatk Penn : 5min peak / 10min offpeak
- Newark Penn to Hoboken Terminal : 5min peak / 15min off peak
- North Broadway JCT to Midtown Elizabeth loop : 5min peak / 10min offpeak
- Newark Airport to Newark Penn : 5min peak / 8min offpeak
- Newark Penn to Cranford via Jersey Gardens / Midtown Elizabeth : 8 min all day
- Newark Penn to Lyndhurst : 8 min peak / 15min offpeak
- Grove Street – Main Street West Orange LRT : 4 miles , at grade , reusing abandoned freight line , with 6 new station , possible relocation of 1 existing station and (1 transit hub at Wateseeing Ave)
- Newark Penn – Great Falls LRT : 12.1 miles , Underground , At grade , grade separated reusing lightly used / abandoned Freight line , with 19 Stations , 14 New Stations and 3 Transit Hubs (Newark Penn , Newark Broad , and North Broadway JCT)
- Bloomfield Ave LRT : 8.53 mi , At grade traffic separated lanes most of the way with 18 Stations , 14 New Stations and 3 transit hubs (Newark Penn , Newark Broad and Lackawanna Transit Center)
- Newark-Elizabeth-Cranford Urban LRT : 16 miles , Underground , Elevated , 15 Stations , 15 New Stations , (4 Transit Hubs : Cranford at Garden State Parkway , Midtown Elizabeth , Newark Airport Station & Newark Penn Station
- Newark-Midtown Elizabeth LRT : 7 miles , Underground , At Grade dedicated traffic separated lanes , 10 Stations , (2 Transit hubs : Newark Penn & Midtown Elizabeth)
- Newark Penn to West Side Jersey City LRT : 4.36 mi , Underground , Elevated , with 5 Stations , 4 new stations , (1 transit hub : Newark Penn)
- Newark - Lyndhurst Streetcar : 6.73 mi , mixed with traffic given signal priority with stops every 10 blocks
New Jersey Gold Coast LRT Division
Hudson Bergen Light Rail
Current System Size : 17 mi
Current Daily Ridership : 53,400 (2019)
Stations : 24
Proposed System : 40 miles
Proposed Services : - Four Corners (Paterson) to Hoboken Terminal : 5mins peak / 20mins offpeak
- Four Corners (Paterson) to State Street - Downtown Hackensack : 5mins peak / 10mins offpeak
- Maywood to Hoboken Terminal : 5min / 10min offpeak
- Englewood Hospital to Liberty State Park : 5min peak / 10min offpeak
- North Bergen JCT to 8th Street : 5mins peak / 15mins off peak
- Hoboken Terminal to 8th Street : 8mins all day
- 9th & Congress to Newark Penn : 15mins all day
- Newark Penn to Hoboken Terminal : 5min peak / 15min off peak
- New Lines :
- Northern Branch LRT : 9 mi , Elevated , reusing lightly used Freight lines , with 7 New Stations and 2 Transit Hubs at Englewood-Route 4 & North Bergen JCT (formerly Tonnelle Avenue)
- Bergen-Passaic LRT : 14 miles , Street running , Elevated , dedicated tracks along lightly used Freight tracks with 16 New Stations and 5 Transit Hubs at Paterson Station for connection to the NJT Main Line / Northwest Service and Buses , Saddle Brook JCT for connections to NJT Bergen County line, State Street - Downtown Hackensack for NJT buses , Vince Lombardi Park & Ride for connections to the West Shore Line ,and North Bergen JCT
- Newark Penn to West Side Jersey City LRT : 4.36 mi , Underground , Elevated , with 5 Stations , 4 new stations , (1 transit hub : Newark Penn)
Gold Coast Metro
Length : 35 miles
Power Source : 3rd Rail
Stations : 27
Car Length : 4 to 6 open gangway trainsets
Line Length : 18 miles in NJ , 12.8 miles in NY , 5 miles in NJ Ext - Phase 1 : Downtown North (Englewood Cliffs) to Union City JCT , Deep bore
- Phase 2 : Union City JCT to journal Square , Deep bore
- Phase 3 : Journal Square to 8th Street , Elevated from MCGinley Square
- Phase 4 : 8th Street to Richmond Valley Interchange as West Shore Metro , elevated to Arden Heights then using Highway Median and SIRR
- Phase 5 : Richmond Valley Interchange to South Amboy Station , deep bore
Transit Connections :- Hudson Lights for C Train to Manhattan
- Union City JCT for Hudson Bergen Light Rail & Buses
- Journal Square for PATH Trains , L train to Manhattan and Buses
- Bergen-Lafayette for Hudson Bergen Light Rail to Newark and DT JC and buses
- 8th Street for Hudson Bergen Light Rail and buses
- Richmond Valley Interchange for Staten Island Railway and buses
- South Amboy for Suburban Rail , New Brunswick LRT and buses
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