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The PATH predates the airport by decades, and there's been no new track laid in over a century. The PA treats the PATH system like an ugly stepchild, doling out as little as possible. No new track, no new stations. They have a culture based on highly profitable bridges, tunnels & ports, and a transit system that loses money like all transit systems doesn't fit.

So weird that the path doesn't go to EWR. Isn't the Airtran also port authority? And it doesn't connect. The path does not connect to anything easily or directly. Bizarre planning all around in jc.

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The PA did a study on extending the PATH from Penn Station Newark to EWR.


From Wiki:

The Port Authority has allocated $31 million to conduct a feasibility study of extending PATH 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Newark Penn Station to Newark Liberty International Airport.[47]

If the project is deemed to be possible from an engineering, operational, and financial standpoint, the Port Authority would include funding for the project in its Capital Plan. The extension to Newark Airport was estimated in 2004 to cost $500 million.[48] Currently the New Jersey Transit train fare to Newark Airport Station is the same coming from New York Penn Station and Newark Penn Station, making the potential alternative (PATH expansion) cheaper, if slower-traveling.

Extending either the light rail or the PATH to EWR is a no-brainer.

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Or extend the PATH from Newark.

westside light rail should connect to newark airport
its less then 5 mile

Mass transit is most successful with redundancy built into the system. Additional connections to Secaucus improves the system reliability. Also from the standpoint of downtown Jersey City, a light rail line running along 6th Street to the Arches -- as has been floated by Healy from time to time -- would connect many downtowners directly with trains north, south and west. More importantly, many commuters headed to the waterfront towers could transfer at Secaucus, shortening their trips and increasing the desirability of office space in the downtown. Integrating more direct services to Secaucus eliminates transfers and speeds up trips.

Overall the northeast has been pretty lax with developing light rail lines. New light rail systems have been aggressively planned and constructed in the center parts of the country where there are fewer potential riders, and most of these systems have proven highly popular.

One broad problem with mass transit in the United States is that planners tend to be reactionary rather than proactive in building up systems, while with highways we are proactively constructing new networks. This policy encourages auto-centric behavior and development. Instead we should really focus on building transit designed to encourage better development rather than waiting for the need for mass transit.

NJTransit's biggest problem with planning, as a policy, is the focus on optional riders -- travelers with alternative choices. This tends to be another big picture problem with transit agencies -- the assumption that transit riders without an alternative transit have no choice but suffer through whatever horrific transit they are provided with. The big prize are travelers who also own cars and have other viable means of travel. This is an erroneous policy since the focus is on competing transit with automobiles, rather than on improving service for existing riders. Rejecting proposed rail systems because of redundancy is a product of this line of thinking. The logical argument being that service already exists and investing in improving that service is less valuable than building new services to get new riders. But this is a false intention; improving existing services helps retain riders who already predisposed to mass transit while simultaneously making those services more attractive to choice riders.

jmiz

It's about increasing mass transit and providing alternative options. How many times does the NE Corridor have problems and everyone is forced into Hoboken. Not everyone has quick access to Hoboken. People in the Heights can't rely on the 87 bus.

Dahood
The idea along 440 and Lincoln Park makes a lot of sense.

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Why not just continue to the already existing lightrail line to Hoboken and just get on an NJ Transit train there? The only major lines you can't access from Hoboken is the Coast Line / NE Corridor, but those lines can be picked up via transfer.

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Amtrak doesn't serve Secaucus Junction.



Rethink the plan. You're proposing a light rail to Secaucus when Hoboken -> Secaucus NJ Transit already exists.

I propose a different route. NJ transit has already agreed to extend the west side avenue branch to the Hackensack river front. How about extending the LR north from there along rt 440/Truck 1&9. And have a stop in Lincoln park and one more stop north of the park, before connecting to Secaucus junction. This will provide acces for west side residents to midtown via a short ride to Secaucus. It will certainly spur development of the west side - not just residential, but corporate too.

This is a good idea. I've also thought that it would make sense, in the long term, to have the light rail split right around the ShopRite/BJ's plaza, head west through downtown via the 6th street embankment, up Newark Ave (I think it's wide enough), and then head north through the Heights along Summit Ave or JFK, perhaps even forming a loop with the existing line that goes to Union City.


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Dan thanks for the study link and Brewster, thanks for the quick summary. I figured the idea was not exclusive to me. I agree $100+ is a lot of money because it's probably closer to $500 million after it's all said and done even though the project is very beneficial like the report says.

I'm reminded of the PATH train and how in the 1950's when the H&M Railroad was bankrupt it was only because the WTC was built that the PATH got new ownership and new trains. I wonder what would have happened if that was not the case. Would a private company have bought it and continued operations or would it have been shut down? The shut down of the Trans Hudson tubes would have deeply impacted Jersey City's growth the past several decades.

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Dan, that's quite a lot for a civilian to wade through. I attended the stakeholders meetings a few years back and it's nearly gibberish.

MA: The bottom line is you're not the 1st to think of it, and on the face of it it's a good idea, but at >$100M, too expensive for current consideration. They went for the low hanging fruit.

see page 33 of the executive summary.

fyi, take a look at this study - http://jerseycitynj.gov/hedc.aspx?id=2310

I know this will never happen, but I am wondering if anyone else is interested in this. The light rail from Hoboken where it turns right toward 2nd st should also turn left and make its way through the Bergen Arches and end at Secaucus Transfer Station. There you can connect with Amtrak and NJ Transit trains. Make one stop after the new left turn and three stops in the Bergen Arches with elevator access from the street. My next idea is even more unlikely instead of terminating at Secaucus Transfer the light rail could go through to the North Bergen Park and Ride and connect to the Tonnelle Ave stop which would create a circled route.