Happy Birthday HiBLeR!

The Hudson Bergen Light Rail (HiBLeR - pronounced "hib ler") celebrated it's 5th birthday yesterday. The Jersey Journal noted the day with two nice stories (here and here) and one column of NIMBY (not in my back yard) whining.

Sure... the HiBLeR has some problems (lack of signal preemption, slow operating speeds in certain areas, several stations - especially near Liberty Harbor North - that won't be successful until the transit oriented development arrives, the fact that the Hudson-Bergen LR is now the Hudson-Hudson LR), but I'd call it a success. The biggest crime, in my opinion, is that the HiBLeR is the biggest public works project in New Jersey history - at only around $2 billion. Yes, that is lot of money... but it's nothing when compared to Boston's "Big Dig" and other huge projects that less densely populated states have gotten.

I'd like to see the PANY&NJ and the MTA make good on the plan to extend the HiBLeR south across the Bayonne Bridge onto Staten Island and then across a new Outerbridge Crossing to connect back to NJ. There could also be a second western branch in Jersey City that could serve the JC medical center development (branching off at Jersey Avenue and following Montgomery street, or following the freight ROW) and of course, some real Bergen County service.

On sad note, however... is that the ticket price is going to jump to $1.75 this summer, along with the rest of the NJT fare hikes. Hopefully you've already commented on the price increase, but here's a chance to tell Transit what you think about the HiBLeR. Even better, join the NJ Association of Railroad Passengers...