NJ Transit Issues RFP for Environmental Review of Hudson–Bergen Light Rail Extension

NJ Transit has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to prepare a new Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the extension of the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) into Bergen County.

The document will examine the potential effects of a proposed 10-mile extension from the current terminus at Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen to an expected endpoint at Englewood Hospital.

The tender forms part of NJ Transit’s ongoing effort to progress the Northern Branch scheme, which aims to introduce light rail services to several communities in the region.

NJ TRANSIT President and CEO Kris Kolluri said:

NJ TRANSIT remains committed to extending the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail into Bergen County. This RFP is a concrete demonstration of that commitment. Providing mass transit options to all regions of New Jersey takes cars off the road, cleans the air we breathe and drives economic activity, sustainable housing and a multitude of other benefits.

Under the current proposal, the extension would add seven stations across five municipalities. Services would run along West Side Avenue in North Bergen before continuing on an existing CSX Transportation freight corridor between 91st Street and Englewood’s northern boundary. New stops are anticipated in North Bergen, Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia and Englewood.

The need for a new environmental review follows the Federal Transit Administration’s 2023 decision to withdraw its earlier Notice of Intent. The federal agency cited changes in environmental conditions since NJ Transit’s original assessment was submitted in 2018, including issues related to flood plains, stormwater management and air quality. NJ Transit concluded that updating the document would require a new contract and began preparing the scope of work now set out in the current tender.