By Mike Frassinelli/The Star-Ledger
Hoping to entice more light rail riders on weekends, NJ Transit is offering free parking on Saturdays and Sundays at its five park-and-ride locations along the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
The one-year pilot program begins this weekend at the five lots, including Liberty State Park and West Side Avenue in Jersey City, 22nd Street and 34th Street in Bayonne and Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen.

The system attracts about 20,000 riders on an normal weekend day, officials said.

The pilot program stems from a suggestion by Jack May, a member of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers and a regular attendee at NJ Transit meetings.

?We looked at it and we said, ?You know, that?s worth looking at and worth trying,?? NJ Transit Executive Director Jim Weinstein said today after the agency?s monthly board meeting.

?So we?re going to do a one-year pilot on it to see if it attracts people,? he said. ?We?re going to do a serious marketing effort on it, and if we can attract 50-percent more riders because there?s going to be free parking associated to our system ? or even more ? that?s a no-brainer.?

May said during the monthly NJ Transit board meeting that he was ?extremely gratified? the program was going forward.

Despite its name, the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail serves only Hudson County so far.
From north to south, it runs from the Tonnelle Avenue Station in North Bergen to 8th Avenue in Bayonne.

The adult one-way fare is $2.10.