Yeah, I've read a couple of reports saying that a crime was committed on the light rail a couple of years ago. I also read that there are street muggings on a regular basis. That doesn't justify alarmist rhetoric trying to blame every criminal activity on the one sane bit of transportation planning that New Jersey has given us in decades.

"Oh please. I've regularly taken the light rail, at all hours. I've never had a problem. I've gotten on and off at the Newport Mall stop with plenty of those "kids" coming out of the mall."
....................................................................................

You clearly are not familiar with the two people who
have been beaten nearly to death whilst either
working on or riding the light rail at nite.
Countless others have been robbed and mugged
by bands of youths who are to- and fro-ing
from the mall to Greenville and points south.
It is also becoming increasingly clear that a
goodly portion of the street vandalism and
crime that we are seeing in Harsimus Cove and
the two Parks neighborhoods results from
kids who ride into the downtown on the light
rail and jump off in our districts so they can
have some fun on our streets at nite.
So: Oh pleeze, yourself!! Get a grip.
Just because you don't read about it in the paper
doesn't mean it doesn't happen
Let us drop some of the Pollyanna/Babbit trip that so
many of our boosters and realtors and chamber of
commerce types are perpetrating on innocents
moving here from out of town.
People should know what they are getting
into.

With the opening a couple of weeks ago, the Light Rail now has two stops after Port Imperial. Bergenline Avenue, in Union City, and Tonnelle Avenue, in North Bergen. The Bergenline Avenue will be an INCREDIBLY busy stop. It is right in the middle of a huge population density. Right now, it's the only underground stop in the system. Very nice looking.

North Bergen, I think they are looking at more as a Park and Ride.

I think Picses was referring not to the stop in North Bergen, the city, but the Northern part of Bergen County.

I think that's definitely the smart way to go, but Hudson County politicos have been lobbying for the Xanadu extension. This is less about Xanadu itself than it is to help developers in Secaucus, who want to increase their property values with the promise of Light Rail transit. The stops between North Bergen and Xanadu would service residential areas.

When the Bergen Arches study was being done, the transportation planner I spoke with said that he thought Light Rail could go through the Arches to Secaucus Junction, with stops at a Route 3 Park and Ride, Harmon Cove, and the Meadowlands.

New Jersey Transit is now pushing "Diesel Multiple Units" heavy rail for a route between Tenafly and North Bergen. This is easier for a couple of reasons. 1) It avoids the up front capital cost for electrification, 2) At least part of the Northern Branch is on freight rail right of way. FRA regulations prevent Light Rail and Freight Rail running at the same time, so NJT would have to negotiate with the freight company (I think CSX) as to when the line could run. This is not the best arrangement, but it is being done with the River Line in South Jersey.

Part of the blame lays with Bergen County officials, who have just not been aggressive in lobbying for Light Rail. NJT has also dazzled them with promises of an eventual one seat ride to Manhattan when the new tunnel under the Hudson is built (color me skeptical).

The Meadowlands route will be slightly redundant, since NJT is now building a spur of the Pascack Valley line to reach the Meadowlands by heavy rail. Also, you can be assured that the Nets, Devils, and Metrostars will be long gone before any rail extension gets there. Having said all that, there are some benefits to having another transit option to the Meadowlands. But the Northern Branch is clearly the optimal route.

Joshua

Quote:

It will also service the new Giants/Jets Stadium. The Nets, Metrostars and Devils (while they are still at this location). Also it will service the many events such as concerts and other such things that go on at the Meadowlands. They need a light rail connection and other train connections to the Meadowlands, it is about time in my opinion. I believe it is going to stop in North Bergan also. It would most likely be the next stop after Port Imperial in Weehawken.

Yeah, I am ashamed that they are re-routing the light rail to the Meadowlands for the Xandu project, instead of going to densly populated North Bergen, where it is needed.
The Xandu project is another waste of money like the seacucaus junction, it will be isolated from residential and commercial areas, and will service what is essentially a glorified theme park.

Oh please. I've regularly taken the light rail, at all hours. I've never had a problem. I've gotten on and off at the Newport Mall stop with plenty of those "kids" coming out of the mall.

In terms of future expansion? It looks set to extend south to 8th St. in Bayonne. There has been a lot of discussion and controversy over where the next expansion will be.

In 1999 or so, there was a proposal to send the light rail from Tonnelle Avenue to the Park and Ride at the Vince Lombardi Rest Stop in Ridgefield. Then talk centered around the "Northern Branch" which would send the light rail to Leonia, Englewood, and other town in the Northeast of Bergen County, terminating at Tenafly.

Now, there is more talk of sending the light rail west to Secaucus and eventually winding up at the Meadowlands Complex to serve the new Xanadu project.

Joshua

Do not get on that thing at night. You will not live to tell of the experience.
The kids coming out of the mall and jumping on that
thing and wilding to their hearts content will eat you alive.
Even armed cops won't go near the light rail after dark.
Forewarned is forearmed.

I took it to tonnelle Avenue yesterday and I was surpsried at the number of peolple taking it. I think they should expand it further and add more stops for people who live nearby in order to make sit easier for them. I'm thinking of near the Holland tunnel area [in no man's land] and near pacific Avenue near that new development [which looks nice, btw].

Also, i think they should expand it to elizabeth so that it eventually links up with the newark-elizabeth light rail and the plane.