Light rail in New Jersey is provided by NJ Transit, a state-owned corporation which also provides bus and commuter rail services. In , the light rail system had a ridership of . Light rail, among other forms of transit, is a major part of the state's Smart Growth policy.

Hudson–Bergen Light Rail

The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) is a service that connects the Hudson County communities of

Bayonne Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...

Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Hoboken,

Weehawken Weehawken is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located largely on the Hudson Palisades overlooking the Hudson River. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 17,197.

, Union City, and

North Bergen North Bergen is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 63,361. The township was founded in 1843. It was much diminished in territory by a ...

with 23 stops along 3 services. This line was borne out of a public-private partnership in the mid-1990s, with Washington Group International, doing business as 21st Century Rail, chosen for a DBOM contract for the line to design, build, operate, and maintain the line for its first 15 years. With construction beginning in 1997, the first segments, from Exchange Place to West Side Avenue and 34th Street opening in 2000, with service to Pavonia-Newport, Hoboken Terminal, 22nd Street, Lincoln Harbor, and Tonnelle Avenue opening in later segments between 2000 and 2005, and 8th Street opening in 2011. The current HBLR fleet consists of 53 low-floor electric light rail cars. As of October 1, 2015, the current one-way fare on the HBLR is $2.25. The line works under a

proof-of-payment Proof-of-payment (POP) or proof-of-fare (POF) is an honor-based fare collection system used on many public transportation systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a fare control zone, passengers are required to carry a ticket, pa ...

system, requiring all riders to have a validated ticket (validated prior to boarding the train), transfer, or a valid pass.

Newark Light Rail

The Newark Light Rail (NLR) is a light rail system composed of two sections, the Newark City Subway, originally opened in the 1930s by PSCT as the No. 7 line, and the sole surviving line of several that ran into this tunnel, and the Broad Street Line which operates from

Newark Penn Pennsylvania Station (also known as Newark Penn Station) is an intermodal passenger station in Newark, New Jersey. One of the New York metropolitan area's major transportation hubs, Newark Penn Station is served by multiple rail and bus carriers, ...

to Newark Broad Street via Washington Park and Riverfront Stadium, which opened in 2006. This line is also included in NJT Bus' Central Division, dating back to its days as a streetcar line. Originally constructed as a streetcar line using

PCC streetcar The PCC (Presidents' Conference Committee) is a streetcar (tram) design that was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II it was licensed for use elsewhere in the ...

s, the Newark City Subway ran from Newark Penn to a loop at the Newark city line located at what was then called Franklin Avenue. With the conversion of operation from PCC streetcars to cars similar to what is used on the HBLR, the Franklin Avenue loop was removed and replaced by Branch Brook Park, with service extended to Grove Street. NLR utilizes a fleet of 20 cars, similar to the HBLR fleet. As of October 1, 2015, NLR one-way fares are equivalent to a one-zone bus ride of $1.60, with the ability to purchase through tickets valid for a ride on Newark Light Rail and on a connecting bus to Bloomfield,

Passaic Passaic ( or ) is a city in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 70,537, ranking as the 16th largest municipality in New Jersey and an increase of 656 from the 69,7 ...

and points beyond up to 4 local bus fare zones (generally, to Paterson, Willowbrook, and

West Caldwell West Caldwell is a township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located approximately west of Manhattan and northwest of Newark. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's pop ...

). The line works under a

system, requiring all riders to have a validated ticket (validated prior to boarding the train), transfer, bus through-ticket, or a valid pass.

River Line

The River Line is a

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...

tram-train A tram-train is a type of light rail vehicle that meets the standards of a light rail system (usually an urban street running tramway), but which also meets national mainline standards permitting operation alongside mainline trains. This all ...

light rail line operating from Trenton to

Entertainment Center An entertainment center (or centre), also known as an entertainment complex, is a piece of furniture designed to house consumer electronic appliances and components, such as televisions. Evolution of home TV and stereo A stereo console (or "con ...

in Camden, with the line, except at the ends, running along the former

Bordentown Secondary The Bordentown Secondary was originally a freight railroad line in New Jersey, running from Pavonia Yard in Camden to Trenton. Today, a large portion of the line from Bordentown to Camden is used for New Jersey Transit's River Line light rail ...

Conrail Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do busin ...

, servicing 30 stops along the 34-mile route in the Route 130 corridor. This line is operated under contract to New Jersey Transit by Southern New Jersey Rail Group, a Bombardier/

Bechtel Bechtel Corporation () is an American engineering, procurement, construction, and project management company founded in San Francisco, California, and headquartered in Reston, Virginia. , the ''Engineering News-Record'' ranked Bechtel as the sec ...

joint-venture. As of October 1, 2015, River Line fares are equivalent to a one-zone bus ride of $1.60. The line works under a

system, requiring all riders to have a validated ticket (validated prior to boarding the train), transfer, bus through-ticket, or a valid pass.

Planned projects

New Jersey Transit is planning to extend the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail past its current terminus at Tonnelle Avenue to Englewood along the Northern Branch, an existing freight rail line. It has reached the final environmental impact statement stage, but its construction funding is not in place. The Delaware River Port Authority is planning to build the Glassboro-Camden Line, a diesel light rail from the Walter Rand Transportation Center in

Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...

Rowan University Rowan University is a public research university in Glassboro, New Jersey, with a medical campus in Stratford and medical and academic campuses in Camden. It was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a site donated by 107 residents. ...

Glassboro Glassboro is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the borough's population was 18,579, ...

, along an existing freight rail line. Governor Jon Corzine formally endorsed the light rail, which will cost an estimated $1.3 billion, and New Jersey has committed $500 million in funding. In 2017 NJT released made a request for proposal for Passaic-Bergen Rail Line to examine current conditions on the line and needs of communities it would serve.

Canceled projects

The Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link and the Union County Light Rail have not advanced and been removed from NJT list of capital projects.

References

External links

New Jersey Transit – Light Rail (official website)
{{Delaware Valley transit NJ Transit NJ Transit Rail Operations