Mayors Push for Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Expansion

A Commission of mayors is working to push forward a proposal that would bring light rail service to the county, NorthJersey.com reported.

According to the report, the ‘Mayors’ Hudson/Bergen Light Rail Commission’ met at bergenPAC last week to discuss strategies for moving the project toward actual construction.

The team is led by Englewood Mayor Frank Huttle III and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, and voted Monday to support a plan that would extend the NJ Transit’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail beyond its current Hudson County stops, the report said.

Currently, the line runs from Bayonne to North Bergen. A new plan would see the line extended to stops in Ridgefield, Leonia, Palisades Park, and Englewood, the report said. It would run nine miles, take 33 minutes to ride, and cost about $1 billion, the report said.

Though no source of funding for the project has been identified, the group discussed Monday the possibility of a federal grant that would have the state pay only half the bill, it said.

The mayors said they will continue to advocate for the project, help find ways to pay for it, and get more officials across the area and the state to support it, the report said.

“We want to coordinate an effort, multi-county, and create the understanding it’s a statewide issue,” Fulop told NorthJersey.com.

“It creates jobs. It makes Jersey more competitive and it’s important to the entire state.”