New Jersey Light Rail Extensions Hit Snags With Federal Studies and Local Pushback

Rail expansion plans in New Jersey face major obstacles. Two key projects — one stretching to Bergen County, another linking Glassboro to Camden — can’t move forward due to strict rules and tight budgets.

The Hudson-Bergen rail stops short at Tonnelle Avenue, missing Bergen County entirely. A new plan would push tracks through four towns: Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia, and Englewood. Yet after 25 years of trying, no tracks exist.

“How is it that the largest county [by population] in the state of New Jersey, that contributes more money to the state, doesn’t have a rail system to be able to move tens of thousands of people a day?” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, according to NewsBreak. “It’s just unconscionable.”

Federal officials want another environmental study for the northern stretch. Past studies went nowhere when funding fell through. Tedesco points to clear benefits: “We take cars and pollution off the road. People’s quality of life, their mental health — they’re not sitting in traffic.”

In the south, plans call for an 18-mile track from Glassboro to Camden. This route would connect with trains to Trenton, meeting at a central hub in Camden. Transit groups aim to use old tracks already in place.

Towns split on the southern plan. While Glassboro backs it, three other towns voted it down. Critics point to tax hikes and noise problems. Some push for electric buses as an option.

Backers say the southern line would boost job access and make trips to Philadelphia faster. The 2028 start date hangs on clearing several big hurdles first.

Both projects fit New Jersey Transit’s mission to reach areas cut off from quick rail access. These new lines would link dense neighborhoods to main transit centers, cutting travel times for thousands of passengers.

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