MaRoFu wrote: ↑Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:17 pm
Over the years, many expansions and proposals have been made by NJT for its already expansive system, such as:
- Northern Branch Corridor Project
- Lackawanna Cutoff Restoration
- Route 440 HBLR Extension
- Proposed HBLR Secaucus/Meadowlands Extension
- Glassboro-Camden Light Rail
- Passaic-Bergen Rail Line
- MOM Line
The list goes on and on. Now let's forget about the planning and other stuff, and just think about how much actual construction has been done on these projects. The amount of construction that has taken place, with the exception of the Cutoff Restoration, is...
NONE
How embarrassing is it that it has been 17 years or more since some of these projects came to light, yet they are still stuck at square 1? And apparently some of them still won't open until a DECADE after this post. In the time it takes for these projects to actually become a reality, the following things have or will be finished:
Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano-Kanazawa (200?-2015)
Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Kanazawa-Tsuruga (2012-2023)
The American Dream at Meadowlands/Xanadu (2019)
Joban Line full service restoration (2020)
7 Line Extension
99 Hudson Street in Jersey City (2019)
PATH Extension to EWR (2020-2026)
Japanese Maglev (2027)
HBLR Extension to 8th Street
EWR New Terminal A (2022)
Cortlandt Street Station (December 2018)
PATH World Trade Center Hub (A billion and a half dollars that could've been used for the things coming up)
If I were to list all of them, this page would be very long. But it is just shows how flawed NJ Transit is in my opinion. Although the dumb decisions of places such as Tenafly did contribute to the delay of the HBLR Extension, it still does not excuse the other projects. At least the cutoff project appears to be going well. I should also mention all the wasted potentials NJT could have done to improve their system. Here are a few proposals I came up with:
Newark Light Rail to West Orange (may require lots of land acquisition and may face opposition, but if those are resolved it might be possible)
Light Rail to Newark Airport, Jersey Gardens, and Elizabeth (seriously, why did NJT abandon this? Lack of funds?)
HBLR to Edgewater (it might cost a lot to repair the tunnel, but Edgewater suffers from vehicle congestion, so it might be worth it)
Access to the Region's Core (it was a mistake to ditch this. Our lives would be much easier if this wasn't cancelled)
Montclair-Boonton Line Pompton Branch (basically the Greenwood Lake to North of Pompton Junction)
Electrification of Main/Bergen County/Montclair-Boonton Line
I honestly do not get what the agency's problem is, whether it is lack of funds, corrupt governors, bad management, or something else, they need to get themselves moving.
I'm just hoping this is in the right thread.
NJ Transit was doing well from about the mid '90s through 2009 or so. Mid-Town Direct, Montclair Connection, Secaucus Jct, Newark Light rail, Hudson Bergen Light Rail, Riverline, Bi-level equipment etc..
I think though that in terms of heavy rail NJ Transit really cannot add anymore capacity to the system, expansion, without more trans-Hudson capacity. I live near Freehold and have been dreaming of the MOM line for 20+ years now. I believe it will happen, but I also think it shouldn't happen until there's a way to get the people into Manhattan.
Four years ago I started commuting into Lower Manhattan, I tried the train but because there's no NJ Transit station near where I live I take the bus. I've tried taking the train from Woodbridge, Matawan, South Amboy but the trains are too crowded. I end up standing for most of the trip. Hoboken terminal is great, but after taking the Hoboken NJCL trains it's obvious that 98% of the people get off at Newark Penn and either get on the PATH or a Mid-town bound NJ Transit train. The PATH is also bursting at the seams, they're increasing capacity but that will quickly be taken up by all the new residents moving to Jersey City and Harrison.
All efforts, funding etc.. for NJ Transit should be put into three items:
1.) Replacing the Portal Bridge (reliability, growth)
2.) new Hudson tunnel (growth)
3.) equipment upgrades, investment in infrastructure, new stations and parking (reliability)
When those items are in place then lets get to MOM, West Trenton and more frequency on the NJCL, NEC and RVL to Penn.
The only expansion projects NJ Transit should look at short term are those that do not feed more passengers onto NJ Transit mid-town trains.
1. Glassboro extension to Riverline
2. HBLRT Expansion North and West
3. Passaic - Bergen rail
4. Riverline to West Trenton
Also the State of New Jersey, Hudson County and the Port Authority should look at further subsidizing the ferries to NYC. The Staten Island ferry is free, perhaps NJ Transit could subsidize a free transfer for monthly pass holders to the Hudson ferries. Get people off the PATH.