FTA: $0.6MM Grant to NJT for HBLR TOD
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
NJT HBLR current terminus at Tonnelle Ave. NJT photo
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded a $592,000 grant to New Jersey Transit to study equitable transit-oriented development (TOD) along the proposed Northern Branch extension of Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) into Bergen County.
“The comprehensive plan will build on efforts to establish neighborhoods and employment centers along the corridor and provide a framework for coordinated actions, creating a blueprint for success for all stakeholders,” NJT said. “The Northern Branch will further our 10-Year Strategic Plan goals of powering a stronger and fairer economy and promoting a more sustainable future.”
Currently in design, the $1.2 billion Northern Branch is a proposed nine-mile route through eastern Bergen County from the current HBLR terminus of Tonnelle Ave. up to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center with seven proposed station stops. The TOD study, NJT noted, “will assemble analysis and opportunities in a comprehensive manner that will provide holistic solutions for the entire corridor located through portions of North Bergen, Fairview, Ridgefield, Englewood, Leonia and Palisades Park, and pinpoint more customized solutions tailored to the unique character, constraints and needs of specific communities. The plan will engage local communities, governments and regional and state agencies in the many facets of TOD in crafting a collective vision for the corridor. The study will also contain robust community engagement through outreach to members of the public and other stakeholders.”
“This generous FTA grant will support a vital TOD study, enabling NJT to maximize mobility, ridership, and economic growth along all nine miles of our proposed Northern Branch project, conservatively estimated to serve more than 5,600 additional HBLR customers each weekday,” said President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “We thank the FTA and the New Jersey Congressional delegation for their continued support of our commitment to sustainability through TOD projects anchored by our transit system.”
