The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail opened in April 2000 and carries more than 60,000 people per weekday. It’s 6th busiest light rail system in the country yet it hasn’t been expanded since 2011, despite the state’s promise to build it north into Bergen County and west to Route 440. 

Northern NJ’s rail legacy deserves a modern revival. Hudson, Bergen, and Essex counties deserve to be connected by light rail. We don’t need another highway or decades of delays—we need frequent, reliable service and connected communities now.  

Campaign Goals

Building Blocks

  • City and developer-backed infill stop envisioned as an elevated HBLR station at 18th & Jersey Ave with links to Grove St. Recent Rebuild By Design letters confirm foundation accommodations so the floodwall won’t preclude a future station. Why it helps: fills a long gap between Newport and 2nd St, directly serving new mixed-use growth by the Holland Tunnel approach.

  • Hoboken’s adopted North End Redevelopment Plan calls for a new HBLR stop at 15th St tied to a retail corridor, open space, and raised streets for resilience. Why it helps: gives the fast-growing North End a walkable rail anchor and relieves pressure on existing Hoboken stops.

  • Add a third bypass track + new Hoboken Terminal platform and a new Grove St station to relieve the “T” junction bottleneck. Necessary because the wye is at capacity and demand will rise with other extensions. Helps by boosting frequency, cutting delays at the crossing, and adding a new entry point.

Our campaign prioritizes two major projects to expand and strengthen the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR):

  • Northern Branch Extension — about nine miles north to Englewood with seven new stations, finally bringing Bergen County onto the HBLR network and connecting thousands of new riders to jobs and destinations.

  • Bayfront (Route 440) Extension — a 0.7-mile viaduct west of Route 440 to a new Bayfront terminal, with upgrades to West Side Avenue Station. This project also sets the stage for a future extension to Newark Penn Station via Kearny, expanding regional reach and connectivity.

Alongside these priorities, smaller “Building Block” projects—such as infill stations, signal upgrades, and the Hoboken Wye Bypass—offer quick, locally supported wins that improve reliability and access systemwide. Together, these efforts move us toward a more connected, dependable regional light-rail network.

For reference, NJ TRANSIT’s official “on-the-books” projects can be found [here].

Further Reading

Background

Northern New Jersey once ran on rails: a dense streetcar web and the CNJ’s Newark & New York line stitched Hoboken, Jersey City, South Kearny, and Newark’s Ironbound together until mid-century. HBLR proved we can build again—its first segment opened in 2000 and has fueled growth up and down the waterfront. The next chapter can’t be another decade of studies; it needs construction, service, and results.

Our goals (clear, measurable, doable):

  • Run every 10 minutes off-peak, all day (weeknights, weekends, middays), with published on-time standards riders can trust.

  • On-peak: 3-4 minute headways through the core of Hudson County

  • Break bottlenecks to enable that frequency: fund and build the Hoboken Wye Bypass—the project designed to add a third track and new platforms so trains stop queuing at the T-junction.

  • Expand where people live and work: fully fund the Route 440 (Bayfront) Extension to bring HBLR over 440 with a new Bayfront terminal and West Side Ave upgrades. Then study a follow-on link toward South Kearny and Newark along the historic CNJ corridor to reach the Ironbound and, ultimately, Newark Penn.

  • Finish Bergen County access: advance the Northern Branch to Englewood through NEPA to shovels in the ground—seven new stations, shared ROW, daytime light rail, freight at night.

  • Deliver small wins fast: partner with cities on infill stops (e.g., Hoboken 15th St; Jersey City 18th St & Pacific Ave), signal tweaks, and safe, direct station access so trips are seamless the moment doors open.

Why this matters:
More frequent, reliable trains cut traffic, reduce emissions, and widen access to jobs, schools, parks, and the waterfront—without carving new car lanes. The capital plan already names the pieces; our ask is simple: move from promises to projects—fund, schedule, and build the upgrades and extensions that make HBLR a turn-up-and-go network for everyone.